


Home is Where the Heart Lies

by ShadowArtemis4456



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cullen develops a crush on OC, Cullen finds her to be interesting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, OC is an MGiT, OC mostly keeps to herself, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-06 16:13:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 38,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17348420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowArtemis4456/pseuds/ShadowArtemis4456
Summary: Rosea is an average modern girl who plays videogames, drinks coffee and tea (mostly tea), loves plants and animals, writing and reading fanfictions about the Dragon Age series, so when she winds up in Thedas she believes she is prepared for it all. Except she’s not. She arrives in Thedas just four months before the Inquisition is disbanded and arrives just several miles away from the town that a certain Commander’s family lives in. After hearing of the news that the Inquisition is going to soon be no more, Rosea decides to stick around the little town to help out where needed, until said now Ex-Commander slash ex-Templar comes around.Upon arriving to the town where his siblings now live, Cullen Rutherford, ex-templar and now ex-Commander, must learn to settle into being a civilian though it is somewhat difficult. Or is until he meets Rosea, the mysterious young woman who tends to keep to mostly to herself while still being helpful around the town. Something deep within Cullen is drawn to this young woman and through his shyness he learns that she is quite different then he could ever have expected.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my second attempt at a post-Trespasser dlc story (the first one was a one-shot) and is one of the many stories I already have that will be probably be nothing more then word vomit. So I apologize ahead of time if it sucks. 
> 
> Side note: music really hits me in the feels...so this is also a product of that too. Enjoy I guess?? (I don’t know what in the Maker’s name I’m doing anymore *glares over at her muses*)

At first it was hard for her to adjust but in just a few short months she was almost sure she was like any other person on this world, granted it still took some time getting used to the fact that she had no family or any of her friends there with her, but she liked to believe she was settling in well enough. At least she did until _he_ came around,the legendary Commander Cullen Rutherford, which in turn had sent her emotions spiraling out of control and on more then one occasion (when she did go to town and just happened to cross paths with his family and him) causing her tight-leashed grip on her now raging fan-girl young womanly hormones to almost, almost, slip. Shaking her head as she refocused on the task at hand she continued to saw on the wood, cutting it down to the proper length that was needed for her to use to continue building the porch for her small cabin that she had been given by the townsfolk as thanks for all her hard work. Once she was done sawing the plank down she huffed out a sigh and cursed her hair for its natural curl as a few strands fell into her face. Setting the saw down she grabbed the plank and set it with the other ones before turning to grab the hammer and nails she had set aside for this very reason, she turned back and snatched one of the planks and headed to where the unfinished part of the deck was at. Setting the plank against the deck, she set the nails and hammer down before turning to retrieve the other planks, after she did that, she set to work nailing the planks into their places. Just as she finished nailing the first plank into place a familiar voice called out to her, causing her to turn and see none other than three of the four Rutherford siblings coming up to her cabin. “Rosea!” The young woman raised a hand in greeting, letting them know that she had seen them and quickly noted that the eldest Rutherford sibling had brought _BOTH_ of her brothers with her and Rosea wondered if she would try to set Rosea up with Cullen, again. 

Deciding that she most likely wouldn’t get what she had planned done that day, Rosea set the hammer and nails aside and climbed onto the parts of the porch that was finished to brush off the dirt from her knees just as they finished their approach. “Good afternoon, Mia, Cullen, Branson.” Rosea greeted the three as she stood straight. “Something I can help you with?” 

“Oh no! I came to see how you were doing, these two followed because their like lost puppies,” Rosea wanted to call her out on that but kept her mouth shut. 

“I see,” then she watched as Mia looked around. 

“Wow...” she said as she looked around, “This place is looking a lot better!” 

Rosea smiled then, “It just took some care and dedication, and a lot of scratches and bruises,” she looked to her exposed arms where some of the scratches were scabbed over. “But it’s still nowhere near done. I still need to finish the porch and finish a few other things before I can officially claim that I live here.” Rosea informed them as Mia’s amber eyes snapped to Rosea’s arms. 

“Rosea, your bleeding!” Mia spoke as Rosea looked to her arms to see that the older woman was correct. 

“Huh, well look at that I am,” Rosea only looked at it, “It won't kill me. ‘To far from my heart’ as my grandfather would say,” Rosea quoted her grandfather as she shrugged it off. She would likely feel the pain later but right now she was able to ignore it. 

“At least clean it so it doesn’t become infected!” 

“Mia, it’s fine. Besides, I’ve had worse. This is just a scratch.” Rosea brushed her off as she turned, jumped back down into the hole that remained in her porch, after grabbing a plank of wood and began to nail it down after aligning it with the other ones. Mia huffed as she stepped up onto the porch and approached Rosea. 

“Rosea please!” 

“Rosea?” The voice that spoke now had Rosea stop mid-swing and she looked up to see Cullen approaching her now. Every part of her wanted to fan-girl squeal at the fact that he had used her name but she kept herself calm. 

“Yes?” 

“It might not hurt to clean it and bandage it,” He suggested as she sighed. 

“Fine,” she huffed as she felt Mia’s shocked look go from Rosea to Cullen and back again. 

“So you won’t argue with him but I try to get you to do something like clean your wound and its an argument!” 

“If I recall correctly, Mia, **_YOU_** specifically made sure to mention, on more then one occasion need I remind you, that Cullen was a **_COMMANDER_**. That means I’m not about to argue with him anytime soon.” Rosea almost, _almost_ , missed the quirk of the side of Cullen’s mouth as he fought back a smug smirk, but the amusement was there in his eyes. Rosea slid her butt up onto the porch and just as she turned to attempt to stand she found his hand down before her as he offered his help and she took it. Once she was standing, she brushed off her hands and prepared to find her satchel but was beaten to that by Mia who pointed to one of the five chairs Rosea kept on the porch for guests. 

“Sit and let me see that arm.” Huffing out a sigh, Rosea did as told and let Mia tend to the cut while Branson and Cullen sat down, with Cullen being across from Rosea. Together all four chatted until Mia made the announcement that Rosalie was most likely on her way now with food. 

“Which also means she’s on her ways with the children as well,” Rosea eyed the unfinished hole in the porch and suddenly was hoping against hope that she could finish it before the other woman could get to the cabin with the children. If it was one thing Rosea took seriously it was the children's’ safety, especially with something like that. Cullen, seemingly sensing Rosea’s sudden change in mood looked over towards the hole. 

“I could help you finish it if you wouldn't mind?” 

Rosea looked at him for a moment before nodding, “At this point in time, I need the help.” Getting up from their seats, Rosea and Cullen began to finish the work on the porch and outside of a few accidental touches (with swift apologies coming from both) they were soon finished and one it was tested to see if the planks would hold the weight of a full grown person, Rosea was satisfied with it. Doing a double check on the railing (to ensure it wouldn’t break under the pressure of a tripped child), Rosea then went around and collected her tools (and any loose nails) to put them away and up out of the reach of the children. The whole time she did that, she felt Cullen’s eyes on her but ignored him as the whinny of her beloved stallion (whom she had found abandoned and wandering lost) came from over by the stable she had built for him (with a loft room for her to sleep in while she finished the cabin) and smirked as the stallion came around the side of the house and flicked his ears forward. “In a moment, Soven!” She called out to the stallion who snorted in response and fling his head back in protest. “Behave!” She called out to the snowy white stallion who shook out his ebony mane as his tail (of the same) flicked a cluster of flies away from him. Looking towards the porch, Rosea noted that Mia had vanished and looked to the two men, one of whom motioned towards the house earning a sigh from Rosea. It really didn't surprise Rosea that Mia would go snooping around in the house to satisfy some curious and sisterly part of herself, in fact, Rosea was used to it. As she sighed, Rosea went to say something when a howl sounded and she smiled before stepping backward as a large ball of fur came flying into the clearing before it tripped and went rolling into the mud earning a laugh from both Rosea and Branson. Cullen was confused for a moment before the ball of fur (and now mud) stood and shook itself off to reveal itself as a dog breed he knew very well as a Mabari, and Cullen smiled as Rosea spoke to the hound. "And where have you been, furball?" Rosea inquired as the dog woofed it's -Her- response. Cullen noted that it was a female Mabari (which was rare to see outside of the cities for some reason he couldn't fathom) and watched as Rosea patted her hip, "Come here, Faylen," She called to the muddy beast who raced over and leapt up to place her paws on her mistress's shoulders to give her mistress a very slobbery kiss, which Rosea returned with a kiss upon the dog's nose. "Slobber hound," Rosea called Faylen as the dog growled playfully in response as her mistress sat on the ground and they began to wrestle, which ended with Rosea laying on the ground with Faylen laying half on her with Faylen's stub of a tail wagging as her massive head rested on her mistress's throat. "I love you, you spazzass of a beast." Rosea smiled as she petted Faylen who "boofed" (Which the only reason Cullen knew it was a boof was because Faylen didn't even bother to open her mouth to actually woof)  in response before giving her mistress a kiss. "You know brat, you will need a bath before I allow you on the bed tonight," Faylen growled, "Don't argue with me, you know the rules," A whine was the response, "I don't care, you will get a bath first." Another whine. "Oh don't give me that, besides I made sure to get the right soap this time." A curious whine this time as Rosea smiled. "Yes, that kind." Cullen watched this entire conversation take place between Rosea and Faylen and couldn't help but be glad to know that Rosea wasn't crazy, it was actually very normal for Fereldans to have entire conversations with their Mabari. "You're a pain in the ass, Fay." Rosea smiled as she began to scratch the hound behind the ear, earning a loving growl, "But you're **_MY_** pain in the ass, and I wouldn't have it any other way," Faylen licked her mistress's cheek. 

"Rosea," Mia's voice came floating over to the young woman who managed to look over at the woman despite having a roughly fifty to seventy-pound dog laying on her. 

"Yes, Mia?" 

"When are you going to finally move into this place? It's still dusty and the floor is filthy!"

"I have to fix the roof first, and that's only after I tear down the old and rotting bed, get rid of the couch which is pretty damn close to falling apart, and several other things as well, to also include replacing the floorboards as I damn near fell through one yesterday. So it's going to be a while." 

Branson spoke up then, "I can stop by tomorrow to help with tearing down that old furniture," he smiled as Rosea was finally able to sit up as Faylen moved to rest her head on Rosea's lap. 

"Branson, you should know me well enough by now to know that I won't accept it. Today was an exception as you know how I feel about the safety of the children."

"Aye, I do but I have two sisters, a brother, and a Wife who are all stubborn as the Void and will insist on coming over, especially since we both know that two of the four know that you are making this place livable again. Besides, you have done so much for the village in the four months you've lived here that I won't let you tell me "No" without at least offering my help. That and I need to come by tomorrow to shoe that stallion of yours, especially if you plan on going to Denerim in a week's time." 

'What are you going to Denerim for?" Mia inquired, her attention grabbed now as Rosea spoke.

"One of my three swords needs to be looked at and sharpened by a special blacksmith as the blade can't be treated the same way a person would treat a longsword or a greatsword." Cullen wondered what kind of sword would need such special treatment but his question was answered by Mia who asked her own question.

"You mean that strange looking sword next to your bed in the loft in the Stables with the ebony colored blade?" 

"My Katana," Rosea nodded, "Yes, that one." 

"Why can't it be sharpened like a normal sword?" Cullen inquired now curious to what the blade actually looked like.

"It's made of a special metal and must be tended to with the utmost care. If Faylen will let me up I can go get it," Rosea sighed as Mia called Faylen over to her.

"Come here, Faylen!" The dog jumped up and raced over to Mia and nuzzled the woman's hand before turning to Cullen and sniffing his pant leg then his hand before allowing him to pet her. Getting up swiftly, Rosea went over to the fence, hopped up and over it and vanished to the stable to grab the sword and returned with it. 

Cullen watched as Faylen turned from him and returned to her mistress's side as Rosea smiled, "No baby girl, no fighting right now," She told the hound who still sat at attention anyway (hinting to Cullen that Faylen was the War Hound variety of the Mabari hound breeding), "After a while, I will grab my other sword and the matching shield and we will go looking for those bandits and chase them off with your brothers and sisters and the other Nightguard members." 

Branson looked towards her now, "How many bandits this time?" 

"Sixteen were reported to the Captain as approaching from the east. There could be more incoming, but the Captain and I believe it wiser to strike now then to let them bolster their numbers any further." 

Mia sighed then, "One would think that after you gave them the thrashing of a lifetime the last time they came around, that they wouldn't try again." 

"No one ever said they were the sharpest tools in the shed, Mia." 

"How sad it is that that is true..." Mia huffed as Rosea turned to Cullen.

"Now before I get side-tracked again," Rosea held up the sheathed blade and Cullen noted the slight curve in the weapon's sheath. "THIS is a Katana. These kinds of swords are not meant for brute force, but speed and agility," She told him as she gripped the red-ribboned hilt. "Each one is different, they can have the same person making them, but they will always vary from blade to blade with only a few truly being twin blades." With that, she drew the blade from its resting place and Cullen watched as the ebony blade came sliding out with such ease that he silently wondered if she was a master of this particular sword. "This is Yami, the most bloodthirsty of my blades and the one I have had since it was gifted to me on my twenty-second birthday."

"Yami?" Cullen inquired as Rosea smiled. 

" ** _ALL_** swords have names and will reveal their names to us if we are willing to listen. Yami revealed his name to me in a most unexpected way but that's a story for another time," Rosea smiled as she placed the flat side of the blade on the back of her hand to studied the blade. 

"Why do you say it-HE-is a bloodthirsty blade?" 

Rosea nodded towards Branson who muttered something under his breath, "Ask your brother. His dumbass, cut his hand on the blade."

"That blade will cut **_ANYONE_** who isn't you," Branson grumbled as Rosea snorted.

"It hasn't cut Mia or Rosalie, and both of them have drawn Yami from his sheath." 

"Well, your swords an ass then!" Branson huffed as Mia laughed. 

Rosea held back the smartass remark she was about to make and instead returned her gaze to Cullen while letting the sharp end of the blade fall facing her and offered him a chance to hold it. "Go on, He won't bite when I am the one offering him to you to allow you to hold him." Careful as could be, Cullen took the blade from her and noted how well balanced the blade was. He studied the blade for a moment and completely missed the look that Mia and Rosea shared, but then he handed the blade back and Rosea sheathed the blade and returned it to the loft in the stables. Just as Rosea returned to the porch, a squeal of a little girl captured the attention of the four adults and Rosea smiled as said little girl came running up screaming Rosea's name. 

"ROSEA!" The little girl, Rosalie's second born, latched onto Rosea as Rosea smiled at her. 

"Hello to you too, Leona," Rosea greeted the little girl who refused to let Rosea go, Rosea looked towards Mia and the woman nodded, answering Rosea's unasked question. Cullen did not miss what the silent question was as he did remember that Rosea had stated that floor in the cabin needed to be replaced and knew the silent question to be in wonder about the door to the cabin which Mia had answered with a nod signaling that she had made sure to lock the door, not that the children would be able to get into the house anyway now that Cullen's own Mabari, Tobias, was here having followed Rosalie to help keep the children in line. Cullen knew, as he looked to Faylen who was laying directly in front of the door, that between the two hounds, none of the children were going to be harmed anytime soon. Looking at his youngest sister as she came up and managed to hug Rosea as best as possible with little Leona between the two women, and Rosea returned it. before hugging the other children who came running up to grab Rosea's attention. Once greetings were done and over with, Rosea's attention was dragged away to the children while Faylen and Tobias sniffed at each other before Faylen sat down, as if knowing that Tobias would not dare to challenge her in her own domain and watched her mistress's antics with the children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this will be interesting to continue writing. I do hope you all like it as I can't promise this will be any good. Let me know if you all like it in the comments (Comments are welcome as they do help a bit to keep my mischevious muses in line... *glares again at her muses*). Also: YES there WILL be smut later on.


	2. One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song that Rosea is singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4cqcinpbvw called "The Last of the Giants" by Karliene.

By the time dusk had fallen, Rosea and the other adults had started a bonfire with the dead plants and the wood that was left over from the porch planks that were too small to do anything else with, as well as a few logs and all were now sitting around it as the Adults shared stories from their days as children, with Cullen sharing a few from his days as a Templar recruit while Leona crawled up into Rosea's lap, earning the little girl Rosea's fingers running through her curly auburn hair. "Rosea?" 

"Yes, little one?" Rosea asked as everyone turned to see the little girl starting to fall asleep in Rosea's lap. 

"Will you sing that song?"

"The one about the lonely giant?" the little girl nodded as her eyes drooped slowly. "Alright, little one," Rosea smiled warmly as she pulled the little girl close, _"Ooooooh, I am the last of the giants, my people are gone from the earth. The last of the great mountain giants, who ruled all the world at my birth. Ooooooh, I am the last of the giants, my people are gone from the earth. The last of the great mountain giants, who ruled all the world at my birth. The smallfolk have stolen my forests, they’ve stolen my rivers and hills. And they've built a great wall through my valleys and fished all the fish from my rills. In stone halls they burn their great fires, in stone halls they forge their sharp spears. Whilst I walk alone in the mountains, with no true companion but tears. They hunt me with dogs in the daylight, they hunt me with torches by night. For these men who are small can never stand tall, whilst giants still walk in the light. Oooooooh, I am the LAST of the giants, so learn well the words of my song. For when I am gone the singing shall fade, and the silence shall last long and more..."_ Rosea smiled as she noted that the child had fallen asleep in her arms, " _I am the last of the giants, my people are gone from the earth. The last of the great mountain giants, who ruled all the world at my birth..."_ Rosalie smiled as she noted how gentle Rosea was being with the child in her lap, even Mia, Branson and Cullen smiled upon seeing how gentle Rosea was as Faylen rested at Rosea's feet and Tobias lay at Cullen's own feet. Rosea looked to them all and nodded to the other children and smiled, "Think it's bedtime?" She asked quietly as Mia nodded. 

"We will take them to Branson's. It's safer and has a hidden basement should the fighting come to the town," Mia said as Rosea nodded.

"Good idea. Tell Maxwell that I will be along shortly, I need to saddle up Soven and put my armor on," Rosea told Mia who nodded as the Rutherford siblings (and Mia's husband, Branson's wife, and Rosalie's husband) gathered up the sleeping children and soon left for the town, with Cullen glancing back towards Rosea who turned her back to them as she walked towards the stable to prepare for the skirmish that was about to happen. Following his siblings once more, Cullen remembered back to the day he had first met Rosea.

_It was a warm and sunny spring day, as the former Commander rode into the village that his siblings now lived in. Stopping by his brother's blacksmith shop, Cullen dismounted as his eldest sister came racing out to greet him. "CULLEN!" She cried out as she embraced her brother who hugged her in return. Not giving him any time to speak she dragged him into the smithy where Cullen noted his younger brother speaking with a young woman whose hair was neatly tied back into a ponytail, with the odd strand have managed to escape the confines of the ponytail. "Branson! Cullen is home!" Cullen watched as his brother looked up, flash a smile before speaking._

_"Welcome home, brother," He said before returning his attention to the young woman who was sheathing the sword they had been talking about. "Hope that blade serves you well tonight, Miss. Stormfury." He spoke quickly as the woman smiled._

_"It will, and please call me Rosea," the young woman, Rosea, told him as she clipped the sheath to her belt and took up the shield that lay at her feet to rest it upon her back. Allowing Cullen only a moment to notice that the shield had a snarling lion's head with the mane waving upon the face of the shield. Turning his way Cullen noted that Rosea was beautiful. Her eyes glistened like sapphires, her blue-black hair had a curly wave to it, her cheekbones were high, but the most notable thing about her was the fact that on her face, there was a scar that ran from the middle of her nose and down along her cheek to her throat. The armor she wore was black as the night and the gauntlets she had on were clawed. Spotting Mia and Cullen, she nodded to them before making to pass. "Lady Mia, Ser," She said as she passed them both causing Mia to turn towards Rosea._

_"ROSEA!"_

_"Yes?" Rosea stopped and looked back towards Mia who studied her for a moment._

_"Is tonight your patrol?"_

_"A group of bandits was spotted just down the road. I and several other Nightguard members are heading out to intercept them before they can make it to town," Rosea spoke quickly._

_"Be safe. Little Leona will throw a fit if you get hurt again. You know how much that little girl adores you."_

_Rosea smiled, "I will try but you know I can't make any promises," With that Rosea turned to her horse, which Cullen noted was a snowy white beast with its mane, tail, and stockings as black as a starless night. Once Rosea was up in the saddle, she whistled for a Mabari hound to follow and took off towards the edge of town where several others in armor as dark as hers, were already gathering in preparation for the coming fight with Mabari hounds at their sides. Whatever happened next to them, Cullen would never be sure as he was soon distracted by his youngest sister who came running to greet him, children in tow who all then swarmed their Uncle Cullen and peppered him with questions never once giving him the chance to speak. After they had settled down (and lost interest in Cullen), Cullen noted that Leona, whose curly auburn hair was the only sign of the Rutherford family being in her blood, tugged on Mia's skirt grabbing the woman's attention._

_"Where's Rosea?" She asked as Mia and Cullen looked to the little girl._

_"Rosea had to go stop bad people. She won't be back until morning."_

_"But I want Rosea here!" Leona huffed with a bit of attitude, until Rosalie, her mother, spoke._

_"Leona,"  Rosalie spoke up causing the girl to look at her mother, "Do you want the bad people to come and hurt you?" When the girl shook her head, Rosalie smiled, "Rosea has to go and stop the bad people to keep you safe or else the bad people will come and try to hurt us all." Everyone watched as Leona frowned and looked away, "I have an idea, why don't you ask your uncle Branson to help you make something for Rosea for when she returns?"_

_"Like what mommy?"_

_"How about something she can carry with her whenever she has to go out and stop the bad people? Something she can keep with her as a lucky charm so that she can always return?" Rosalie smiled as Leona looked over at Branson who smiled._

_"Why don't all of you children make her something from each of you?"_

_The kids agreed as Branson led them into the Smithy where they set about picking the metals, woods, and designs for things to make for Rosea. Leaving Mia and Rosalie to explain why the children adored Rosea so much, "Though to be honest, we aren't exactly sure why Leona is so attached to the woman," Mia spoke as Cullen looked to her. As they spoke some more, this time on a different subject, the children soon returned and showed off what each had made for Rosea, with Leona showing off her surprising great artistic skills and held up a carving of a wolf with two metal flowers on its sides._ _"What this sweety?"_

 _"Rosea likes wolves and flowers! I made a wolf and flowers for her!"_  

Cullen remembered that shortly thereafter, once all the children had shown off the things that they had "made" for Rosea with Branson's help, the children had gone to bed after eating and after awakening in the morning, they had eagerly awaited Rosea's return to town and the moment they had spotted her, had called out for her attention earning themselves a smile and warm greetings as each one raced up to her for hugs (despite Rosea being covered in blood and dirt and sweat) and to show her the items they had for her which she took and promised to always have on her, especially when it came to Leona's gift. But now, in the present time, Cullen felt as if something would go wrong and frowned as he tried to figure out what would happen, but what would happen would evade him until the morning when the town was told by all guards to gather at the town square where Rosea was to make an announcement. However, Cullen would stay with Mia and Rosalie as well as their husbands and Branson's wife leaving Branson to bring them the heartbreaking news that Rosea would share that dawn. Cullen looked up at the sound of the front door opening with Branson walking in and speaking swiftly to the children. "Children, I need you all to go outside and play while we adults talk." There was a bit of protesting, but soon enough the children went outside with Rosalie telling Branson to fill her in after the children went to bed. 

"Branson," Mia started not liking the look upon her youngest brother's face. "What happened? Is Rosea alright?" 

"Rosea is fine, injured and bleeding yes, but she is fine," Then he filled them in on the speech Rosea gave and everyone in the room had looks of pure shock upon their faces. 

"So...Captain Kaeso..." Mia felt her eyes go wide as Branson nodded. 

"I am afraid so... Rosea wouldn't lie about something like that we all know that. Outside of us and the children and Maxwell, Kaeso was her only other friend." 

"How...?" Mia didn't need to finish that sentence as Branson looked over to her. 

"Not well I'm afraid," He told her softly, "Rosea has...despite being one of the founders of the Nightguard... she's stepped down from her position as she's not of the right mind to continue aiding with leading the group," Dead silence filled the room at his words, "Maxwell has been named the new Captain and Rosea... left town shortly thereafter leading both Soven and Faylen away." 

"Did you stop her?"

"I did and she told me that while I am still welcome to go shoe Soven, her trip to Denerim has been postponed," Branson told them all as silence echoed loudly throughout the room once more, or it did until Rosalie came in. 

"I need to head for Rosea's," She stated plainly as everyone looked towards her.

"Why?" Cullen started until it hit him: _Leona_. 

"Apparently Leona is not content to wait to see Rosea, it's just a good thing that hound of yours went with her, Cullen," Rosalie sighed, but before she could get very far, Cullen spoke up. 

"I'll go get her and bring both her and Tobias back," he stated as he stood and passed by Rosalie to do as he said. 

****

"Rosea?" 

Rosea heard someone calling her name and looked towards the entrance to the stable to see Leona and Tobias walking in, "Leona? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you and Tobias be back with your family?" Rosea asked as she approached the little girl and the Mabari who whined as she reached out to pet him. 

"Mommy said you were sad," The little girl spoke as Rosea looked to her. 

"I am little one, but just because I am sad does not mean that you should have come without your mommy, daddy, or one of your aunts or uncles." Rosea gently scolded the child who looked towards the ground. 

"I know," Leona spoke softly as Rosea watched her.

"Come on, let's get you over to the cabin. One of your family will be coming soon to get you," Rosea told the little girl as she took Rosea's outstretched hand. 

"Okay..." Leona said quietly as she followed Rosea to the cabin, to await one of the Rutherford siblings. 

"Come on Tobias, I'm sure the person coming is going to be your master so you need to come along too," Rosea spoke as the dog woofed and followed Rosea. "Faylen, let's go!" She called for her own hound and Faylen barked in response as she followed her mistress as well. Together all four made it to the cabin porch and Rosea instructed Leona to sit in one of the chairs, and it was just in time too as the moment Leona sat down, Cullen came walking up to the house from the path. 

"Leona, there you are!" He said as he saw Rosea standing near the girl. "Rosea."

"Cullen," She greeted him as he finished his approach and stepped up onto the porch to speak with Leona. 

"Leona, what you thinking coming out here by yourself?" He asked sternly as Leona looked towards her feet. 

"I wanted to make Rosea feel better..." Leona frowned as Rosea smiled. 

"Sweetheart, just because I am sad, doesn't mean you should come here by yourself, even if Tobias comes with you." 

"Rosea is right, Leona, it's dangerous outside of the town and without an adult to be with you..." Cullen frowned as he watched Leona kick an invisible rock. 

"I'm sorry, uncle Cullen..." She said still not looking at the man. 

"Leona, you need to look at someone when you apologize," Rosea corrected the girl who looked up at her before looking to Cullen and apologized again this time not looking away from the man. 

"Apology accepted," Cullen smiled at her before Leona looked to Rosea and apologized as well.

"I accept your apology Leona, but I want you to I want you to promise me that you won't ever do it again unless your uncles, aunts, mommy or daddy tell you to come to get me." Leona looked conflicted for a moment and Rosea spoke again, this time leaning down to speak with her at eye level. "They would only send you to come to get me if it was an emergency. So promise me that you won't come to get me by yourself unless one of them tells you to."

"I promise," Leona told her as Rosea smiled.

"Now, I think you have a mommy and several family members you need to go apologize to for scaring them like you have," Rosea told her as Leona looked towards the ground before looking back at the woman. 

"Will you still stay?"

"I'm not leaving anytime soon little one," Rosea told her as Leona went over to Cullen, who picked her up and she snuggled into his shoulder and promptly fell asleep much to their amusement. 

"I think I see why she is so attached to you." 

"You'll have to enlighten me on that one of these days," Rosea smiled as Cullen called for Tobias who was starting to sniff around Faylen. "Oh, lovely... Faylen's going into heat." 

"I'll be sure to keep Tobias away then."

Rosea smiled then, "I would rather Tobias get ahold of her than some random dog, at least then I would know who the father of the pups would be and who the master of the father would be." They watched Tobias look up at Rosea expectantly then. "You need to talk to your master there little boy, Faylen actually listens when I tell her no." Tobias gave a look and Cullen laughed.

"I think you hurt his feelings."

"It's just his pride, it will heal." Rosea reached out and rubbed Tobias's forehead earning herself a happy woof from him. "Talk to you master and we'll see." She told the hound who immediately looked to Cullen with puppy eyes which had Rosea laughing then. "Apparently he's desperate," She laughed as Cullen sighed.

"I think about it," He told the dog before looking over at Rosea who was wiping away some tears from the corner of her eyes. "Does it bother you?"

"I know how to raise puppies, and what toys to use for when they start teething." Cullen looked at her in confusion then, "There are a lot of things you all don't know about me that you all will find out in time." Rosea informed him as she nodded towards Leona, "But I think it's time to get a little someone back home?" Rosea raised a brow as Cullen smiled. 

"Yes, it is," He turned to leave but then stopped, "If...if it's not to much trouble?" 

"Hmn?"

"Do you mind if I come by tomorrow? So we can talk?" He wasn't trying anything other than trying to show her that she didn't need to be absolutely alone to mourn the loss of someone she cared about. 

"I won't stop you, I don't plan on doing anything more than continuing to work on this place. Which means that I will be on the roof most of the day, which seeing as how I have a crippling fear of heights will be interesting to see how well that works out." Upon her saying that, Cullen was now definitely coming over and not just to talk either but to help her fix the roof so she didn't have to spend four or five days up there by herself.

"Then I will see you tomorrow, and I will bring Tobias," He nodded as she watched him leave with Leona in his arms, passed out, and Tobias following.

Watching him disappear, Rosea smiled and shook her head before looking at Faylen who was watching her with wonder. "Faylen," She addressed the hound who tilted her head with a slight whine. "I approve of Tobias" That was all Faylen needed to know and wagged her stub of a tail. "Now let's go to bed, so I can rise early to work on that forsaken roof," But as Rosea and Faylen walked to the stable, Rosea began to sing a song she hadn't sung in a while, _"I'll swim and sail on savage seas with ne'er a fear of drowning and gladly ride the waves of life if you will marry me..."_ She sang with a slight smile.


	3. Two

True to his word, Cullen arrived just as the sun rose the next day and just like she had said, Rosea was on the roof and was already working on ripping up the old parts to replace it all with new ones. "Well good morning," She called down to him as he looked up to see that she was already up there. Faylen ran up to let Cullen pet her then went over to Tobias and initiated play with him before both took off for some hidden alcove while Cullen climbed up while Rosea watched the two take off. "I don't know whether or not I should be jealous that my dog is having sex while I'm still lonely and single." She frowned as Cullen laughed. 

"I haven’t had sex in about eight years," he admitted as she looked at him with a smile. 

"Well from what I understand your an old fart compared to me, so its understandable for you," the withering look he shot her had her smiling in return. 

"And how old are you?" he inquired as she tilted her head with a brow raised. 

"Twenty-four," she replied watching as he looked shocked at that very moment, "Why?"

"I'm thirty-four!" 

"So you're roughly about nine to ten years older then I am," Now her mind was working. "Which means that you would have been ten when I was born, and fourteen by the time I was four years old if I have my numbers correct," She shook her head then, "Anyway, I doubt you came to discuss the difference in our ages," She said as she turned away to continue ripping up the boards on the roof, with him joining her swiftly. They discussed different things, but then he just went and put his foot into his mouth like the nervous wreck he was and asked her why she wasn't married yet and she sighed as they stopped to take a break for a moment. "I have been engaged twice but both of those fell through because of their parents," She told him as she sat down to look at him, "Each time their parents were insistent that someone prettier and better was out there for them, which left me alone. There was another but that fell through not four months in and ever since I've just refused to be with anyone, no matter how much interest they had in me, I've always refused them by claiming that "I just wasn't ready for anyone" and the majority respected that with a few exceptions who would take it too far which told me they only wanted to use me, but I would also tell them that I am "Still young and dumb" and while that is true, I do know a lot more then I let on but still have a long ways to go. But it never really mattered anyway as they would all move on to women who were prettier or better or skinnier."

Cullen frowned at that, to him Rosea was perfect the way she was and he couldn't imagine people passing her up just because of some traits that she was "lacking".  _I think your beautiful the way you are._  

"What?"

Cullen looked away with a blush to rival a tomato as he realized he had said that out loud instead of in his head like he had thought. "I...um..." He was stuttering now as he rubbed the back of his neck, which was his tell-tale sign of his utter embarrassment. 

"How about we talk about something else?" 

"Please?" he asked a bit too quickly which had him wincing a bit as she laughed. As they began to talk about something else they returned to fixing the roof and soon landed on the topic of Tobias and Faylen's future puppies. 

"Oh yes, I can just see that one now: 'And who is the father of these pups?' Tobias runs his ass by covered in mud as I prepare to answer, 'That spazzass is the daddy, he's the Mabari of the Former Commander of the former Inquisition'. Though in reality, I would have to admit that would more then likely make my day if that actually happened." Cullen chuckled at that. As he had come to discover, Rosea was not one for Nobility and that just made him like her more. "Find you some hours later: 'Hey dumbass, your dog is terrorizing the countryside again'!" Rosea smiled as Cullen laughed. 

"Honestly I could see you doing that," he laughed as she smirked. Looking at the side of the roof they had finished in less than a day, they turned to the other and had just started working again when someone hollered for Rosea.

"HEY ROSEA!" 

Rosea sighed and called out to the person, "Up here Max!" She called out as the man climbed the ladder to see that Rosea was sitting on a now exposed beam with Cullen preparing to grab a board for her to nail down. 

"Why did you pick today of all days to work on the roof of your cabin?" Maxwell asked as both watched how unsteady he seemed to be on the roof. 

"Because today is a sunny day and I can smell the air and can tell that the rain is coming in a few days?" She retorted as Cullen fought back a smirk. 

"Harhar, Mia's been looking for you two."

"Oh?" Cullen inquired as Maxwell nodded. 

"Yes, but no need to worry, I will tell her that you two lovebirds are fixing the roof to the cabin," Maxwell turned and walked towards the ladder before managing to slid down it just as one of the three hammers went flying just above his head, earning a cackle from the man who swiftly vanished before Rosea could throw something else at him. 

"Asshole," Rosea muttered as she picked up one of the two remaining hammers and set back to work with Cullen aiding her. After the roof was finally finished and looking better then it had before, they climbed down, with Cullen standing on the ground to help steady Rosea which earned him a "thank you" from her, they decided to go inside the cabin and Rosea frowned. "Now its just time to get the old furniture out and replace the floorboards." She frowned, "But that may have to come tomorrow, as, judging from the position of the sun, I'd safely bet that we've missed lunch." Cullen took a side glance towards where the sun was preparing to touch the horizon. But suddenly, just as Rosea was preparing to take a step to the side, Cullen reached out and yanked her close to him just as the spot where she had been standing gave way.

"Are you alright?!" He asked as she felt her heart racing, not only with the fact that she had almost fallen  _through the fucking floor_ but also because of her sudden close proximity with him, which set her cheeks to blazing. 

"I'm-!"

 ** _"CULLEN STANTON RUTHERFORD!"_** Rosea looked to Cullen who flinched at the use of his full name signaling that Mia was coming there way. Before Rosea could say anything though, Mia's voice echoed out her full name as well, **_"ROSEALYNN SARYA STORMFURY!"_**

"How in the living fuck does your sister know my full name?" Rosea inquired as Cullen looked towards her with a look that spoke volumes. 

"Probably in the same way she can always find me," He replied as both exited the house to see Mia coming up in a huff. 

 _Oh, she's pissed..._ Rosea frowned as Mia came up to the building and stopped on the porch with arms crossed. Rosea would have made a joke at that moment but decided that she would rather **_NOT_** test the flames at that moment. 

"Mia," Cullen tried to start but the woman shot him a glare that made him flinch back which told Rosea that it was probably a good idea that she kept her mouth shut. 

"Your dog!" She snarled at him causing Rosea to scoot away a bit; if it was one thing Rosea knew, it was to stay out of the way of a woman who was railing into her sibling. As Mia berated into Cullen, Rosea half wondered where her male-obsessed dog was at and realized that soon she would need to make a safe place for Faylen to have her pups if Tobias was successful in "tagging" her. 

"Rosea!" 

"Hmn?!" Rosea looked to Mia as her thoughts were interrupted when the woman called her attention back to the real world.

"Are you okay?" Mia asked worriedly as Rosea nodded. 

"I'm fine, just planning ahead."

"For what?" 

"Faylen's future litter." 

"WHAT?!" Mia asked with eyes going wide.

****

Rosea smiled as she walked with Cullen and Mia to town, both Tobias and Faylen in tow. Faylen was content to remain by her mistress's side while Tobias walked beside his master. "...It will be a while before the pups are born and it will be a while, at least eight weeks before I would even consider letting any of the pups go and even then I think your family should get first pick, more specifically Leona."

Cullen saw what Rosea was getting at with that train of thought, "it would help to keep her out of trouble..." He noted as Mia thought that over. 

"It would and I think Leona would enjoy having a playmate that she can grow up with," Mia agreed. "I mean it would only be natural, we grew up with several mabari when we were children didn't we Cullen?"

"We did," he nodded in agreement. After a while, they found themselves at Mia's house with Rosea joining them for dinner and after the children (to include Leona who was a bit more reluctant to leave Rosea) had all gone to bed, Rosea waited a bit before deciding it was time for her to head home as well. "Let me walk you?" Cullen asked shyly as Rosea smiled, neither noticing the look that passed between the still sitting Rutherford siblings as Rosea accepted. After bidding Mia, Rosalie, and Branson a good night, Rosea and Cullen began walking in the direction of her home. 

"I hope you don't mind if we take a small detour?" Rosea asked Cullen as he looked to her. 

"Not at all," he told her. He didn't mind if they took a detour because it meant that he would get to spend a bit more time with her which something he was finding himself enjoying without meaning to. Following her as she led the way, they soon found themselves on a little cliff that overlooked the town below, though he soon found himself staring up at the night sky which was unobstructed by anything even the moons which had yet to rise. As he saw the stars glowing brightly and saw the many colors of the night sky, he found it to be breathtaking, especially when a shooting star zipped through his line of sight; but **_NONE_** of that compared to the moment he looked towards Rosea (who he could swear was some fallen goddess of the night) who spoke now, "When I came here four months ago..." She started with a look of sadness, "I would always come to this spot at night to clear up my thoughts or try to at least get them to line up..." Rosea looked so sad and Cullen wanted to cheer her up but he wasn't sure how he could, "But...There is another reason I wanted to come here tonight." 

"Rosea?" he asked her name but she didn't look at him.

"I'm not from here, Cullen. I'm not from Thedas or the whole of the world at all."

"What?" He asked as she closed her eyes. 

"This world... I... I know it sounds crazy but it's the truth. Think about the way Leona is so attached to me for a moment, think about how perceptive she is to the feelings of others around her... it's because she is a Spirit of Compassion in a human body. She willingly chose to be "reborn" in a sense and chose Rosalie to be her mother."

Cullen looked away from Rosea for a moment, "That would explain a lot," he spoke out loud. "But...if Leona is so attached to you then what are you?"

"I'm just a normal human woman, or well I **_SHOULD_** be if you don't count somehow traveling from one world to another as abnormal."

"What?"

"Cullen, where I am from... All of this?" She used a hand to wave over the town below them. "All forms of Magic, the Blight, whatever the fuck happened in Kirkwall, Red Lyrium, Lyrium, elves, qunari, Templars with abilities that cancel out magic, Thedas _**ITSELF**_. None of it exists, its all just a made up story where I am from." Cullen watched her with shock as well as some form of something unreadable upon his face. "I came here to Thedas four months ago. How in the ever-loving names of every conceivable god in existence I ended up here in Ferelden, _here in South Reach_ , is something beyond my mind to comprehend and I was a fictional writer where I came from! It was technically my job to make shit up as I went along!" She felt the urge to start pacing ram full on into her like a freight train going at full speed but held off though she did fidget a bit, which she figured his keen eyes would catch and the did as she lowered her head to start picking at her nails (a habit she had formed some years ago) and he caught that as well and though part of him wanted to reach out and stop her from picking at them, he did not as she continued on. "I know all events from the Fifth Blight up to the moment when Inquisition was disbanded. All the possible decisions that could have been made and all the outcomes, but all my knowledge...it's useless now. All it can be used for is speculation on what could have been." She told him as she dropped her hands to her sides and looked away. 

"Why are you telling me this?" Cullen inquired with a forced neutral tone to his voice. A tone that she had heard and read about before. 

"I'm not stupid. I know you would figure it out eventually and that once you did... you would feel as if I betrayed and lied to you," She refused to look at him. She shook her head.  "I've never lied to any of you. If I was asked where I am originally from I tell people "from far away", or "from a place I'd rather not speak of because of too many bad memories"..." She trailed off feeling unshed tears stinging her eyes. At that moment she wanted to flee, to run and never look back, but she didn't because she wasn't finished. "I've never lied but nor have I ever told the entire truth of my origin..." Once more she trailed off and turned away. 

"Why?" Cullen asked unsure of how he was feeling towards her now. Part of him wanted to hate her, yes, but the part of him that had come to know what little he did about her still cared deeply about her. Part of him was upset at the fact that she had had knowledge that could have aided the Inquisition, but he also knew that he couldn't be too upset about it because she _HAD_ arrived only _four_ months ago, everyone in town could confirm that (and had) and from what his sisters and brother had told him, she had been badly wounded as well. "Why did you choose to specifically tell ME all this?" 

"Because...I'd rather you hate me for it now, then later." She told him before looking to Faylen who was watching her closely and the dog whine. "Faylen. You can't come with me tonight." Faylen whined low with head drooping. "Becuase baby girl. I promised Maxwell that I would go with him and the Nightguard on one last mission." another whine. "I'm sorry Faylen. You can't come because you are going to have pups, and this mission is a suicide one." Faylen snarled then. "No baby girl. I need you to stay here with the Rutherfords and take care of Leona because I don't know if I will return to see her or any of the people." Faylen stood where she was shivering as she whimpered and whined towards her mistress who was now walking away. The moment, Rosea disappeared from her sight, Faylen howled in sorrow, a sound that broke even Cullen's heart as he suddenly realized why Rosea had told him what she had.  _Rosea was very well likely to die that night because she and the Nightguard were headed out on a suicide mission._


	4. Three

Rosea felt a blade cut her unscarred cheek and hissed as her blade came rushing down upon the bandit that had dared a swipe at her. Blood spurted into the air as screams, shouting, the sounds of clashing steel, howls, snarls, barks and breaking bones echoed into the night all around her. Yet she did not mind it, in fact she was all too used to it as this had been the normal for her for three months now. “DON’T GIVE THEM ANY GROUND!” Maxwell snarled out as the Nightguard fought as if they were possessed by demons from both the Fade and hell itself. Rosea snarled as she shield bashed a bandit that was dumb enough to rush her, and quickly sliced her sword through him as if he were nothing more then paper, roaring out a battle cry in rage as she charged towards one of the other Nightguard who was being overwhelmed, she rammed into bandits and bowled two of the four over before executing them swiftly before rejoining the battle and aiding her brothers- and sisters-in-arms. Snarling out in pain as a bandit got in a lucky hit, she swiftly decapitated him without a trace of remorse. “SHIELD’S UP!” Maxwell called out as Rosea joined her shield bearing “siblings” in raising their shields to deflect the incoming arrows. Once the last arrow was done being fired Maxwell ordered another charge and they rushed forward. More enemies fell, and more screams were heard as the Arling’s men came rushing into the frey along side the Nightguard. 

“MAXWELL!” Rosea shouted over the sounds of combat earning the man briefly glancing at her. “FOR EVERY TEN WE SLAY TWENTY SEEM TO TAKE THEIR PLACES!” 

“I KNOW!” Maxwell hollared back. “WE HAVE NO CHOICE NOW!” He looked to her and nodded, “BRING OUT YAMI!” He roared as she thrust her current weapon into the ground and dropped her shield down next to it. Gripping the blade that she so dearly loved, she unsheathed it and rushed forward, cutting bandits down left and right as she and Maxwell, as well as the commander of the Arl’s army folowed the bloodbath that Rosea left behind. The bandits soon saw the infamously named “Black Blade of Death” and saw who was wielding it and soon the tides began to turn for both the Nightguard and the Arl’s army, but Rosea, Maxwell and the Commander continued running as more and more bandits hoped to gain a chance for glory and slay the wielder of the infamous blade, and they all fell. But when the three finally came face to face with the ringleader behind the whole shebang, the ensuing battle was swiftly over, though in the process Yami’s blade was shattered.

Looking to her oldest blade, Rosea understood what it meant and sighed softly, “Farewell, old friend.” She told the blade as she slipped all of the broken pieces into the sheath and closed it for the final time, making sure to tie hilt to sheath. “You’ve protected and have aided me long enough.” She whispered as she heard cheering from the Arl’s men and the Nightguard as Maxwell announced their victory. 

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked towards Maxwell and he nodded, “Take Yami and go home. Tell them of the victory we have achieved this night.” Rosea nodded in return, “and make sure you retire to that damn cabin!” He shouted after her as Soven was lead over to her. Smiling as she hopped up into the saddle, she nudged Soven into a canter and left the carnage behind. 

Halfway to the village (just as the sun began to rise), however, Rosea began to feel ill but managed to ignore it even as she reached the Village where the town crier spotted her and called for everyone to gather around the platform he stood upon as he moved out of the way to allow her to speak. Looking at everyone who stood waiting to hear her news, she noted that ALL of the Rutherfords (to include the children and Mia and Rosalie’s husbands and Branson’s wife) were there. “As you are all aware, Captain Maxwell and I led the Nightguard, along with the Arl’s men, to the place where the bandits had been cowering in their holes. The battle was fierce and bloodly, but I am pleased to report to all of you that this past night, we have achieved victory!” Cheers followed her words and she waited until the noise died down to speak again, “but I am also sad to report that we lost many a good men and women upon the field as well. Many of whom you all know I was glad to serve next even if it was for only a few short three months. Upon his return, Captain Maxwell will have a list of all those from the Nightguard who died as heroes on the field and shall have their names read out at dusk with a chantry service to honor them. Until then, celebrate this victory but also remember to mourn those we have lost because of the cowardice of the bandits.” After she said that Rosea turned and walked away and over to her horse who nickered softly “Let’s go home Soven...” she whispered to the beast as she hopped up into the saddle and rode towards her home, and Faylen soon joined them, just as eager as they were to go home for a while. But just as she entered the clearing, the sudden dizziness she had felt building up from bloodloss and poison, finally took its toll and with a slight groan she collapsed onto the ground with her world fading to black just before she hit the hard packed ground and, in turn, throwing Soven into a frenzy as he felt her slide off while Faylen howled before she raced off to fetch the only person she figured could save her now unconscious and slowly dying mistress. 

**** 

“Anyone else notice how white Rosea looked as she gave her speech?” Cullen inqired as he looked to his siblings.

“She was probably just tired,” Branson shrugged. Cullen didn’t doubt that part, battle could tire anyone out. But with as white as Rosea had looked, something TOLD him that it wasn’t just bloodloss or weariness that had her that pale.

As he prepared to follow his siblings, a howl sounded and he stopped to see Faylen come running back at full speed only stopping when she reached Cullen, “Faylen?” He inquired knowing that the hound would not leave Rosea’s side unless she was told to or unless something happend to Rosea. “Faylen what’s-?!” Then it hit him like a fuckton of bricks. _Rosea had been poisoned during the battle_. “SHIT!” He snarled as he looked to his siblings, “Mia! Have someone bring me my pack!” He called out as he turned and bolted towards where Rosea’s home was. “Rosea’s been poisoned!” He hollered back towards them before they could ask what was wrong. He may not have been very sure how he personally felt about Rosea at this moment in time, but he would be damned to the Void itself if he allowed her to die without so much as giving her a fighting chance to prove herself to him. “ROSEA!” He called out as he finally spotted where she had collapsed onto the ground (he was also pretty sure she had a concussion from the fall from the saddle too now) “ROSEA!” He called out as he turned her towards him, he saw that her eyes were closed but was damn near thrilled to feel that she still had a pulse even if it was weak. “Rosea!” He tried again this time earning himself her eyes opening for a brief time as he lifted her upper body up and closer to his chest as he knelt over her. 

“Cul...len?” She managed however weakly. 

“It’s me,” he nodded as she smiled. 

“I would have figured you to hate me by now.” 

“Hush!” He told her as she eyes began to close. “Rosea, I need you to stay with me. Keep your eyes open!” 

“I’m sorry...Cul...” her eyes shut and her pulse stopped at the same time her breathing did and he began to panic.

“Rosea! ROSEA!” He called out as he gently shook her to no avail. “ROSEA!” He called out as she lay unmoving, “Please...don’t go...” he begged softly as he felt tears that would never shed stinging his eyes. “I don’t hate you. Yes I am upset that you’ve kept things from us but...I also...want to be your friend... Please... don’t go...” he tried pleading with her but still there was nothing from her, even as Branson, three of the Chantry Templars and a couple of spirit healer mages came running to catch up to him. Cullen felt his brother trying to pull him away and laid Rosea gently back on the ground as the mages set to work trying to being Rosea back from the dead and all Cullen and Branson could do was watch with fear in their hearts and sorrow lingering somewhere in the depths in both Cullen’s soul and heart. Standing and watching as Rosea remained unmoving, Cullen felt a piece of his soul taking flight in sorrow with each beat of his weary heart. Then, as if the Maker himself had slapped him upside the back of the head, Cullen remembered everything Rosea had told him and the weight of her words hit home. _She_ _knew_. She knew about the Lyrium addiction that the Templars suffered with. She knew that he was at both Kinloch and Kirkwall. She knew about his struggle with withdrawals. _She knew it all and had not once judged him for it._ Suddenly, Cullen felt as if the world had come crashing down around him. Here, lying on the ground, was a woman who was the answer to his silent midnight prayers of just wanting someone to be with him who wouldn’t judge him for his past mistakes. Here was a woman who had, only a few days ago, been happily joking around with him, calling him names in playful banter. Here was a woman who was dying from poison and now he felt like shit for thinking he should hate her for keeping secrets. Secrets that most likely would have gotten her killed by the enemies of the former Inquisition, secrets that he would have happily turned her over to the former spymaster turned Divine for. Looking away from Rosea, Cullen felt his shoulders drop with his head following as he stood there like the dumbass he was. Sending up a silent pleaded prayer to the Maker to bring her back to him, Cullen almost missed when one of the mages called out that she was breathing again. But the moment he heard “breathing” his head snapped up and he saw her chest rising and falling and found his own breath being held as he watched her rising and falling chest slowly steady as the mages continued to work their magic. 

“It’s done! We’ve cleared out the poison!” Cullen heard as his eyes closed while Branson said a prayer for both of them. 

“Take her to the stable!” Branson said quickly, “there is a loft in there that her bed is in, she has yet to get to the floors in the cabin.” 

Doing as bid, a Templar carried Rosea to the stable (with the mages and teo other templars following) while Cullen looked to his brother as the man smiled at him, “well don’t just stand there looking even more like the idiot I know you can be, go after your woman and make sure she is actually alive.” Cullen didn’t need to be told twice and so chased after them as Tobias and Faylen followed with Branson grabbing Soven’s reins. “She’s alright buddy,” he told the stallion who snorted worriedly. “She just needs to rest to get better.” He began to lead the horse to the stable where he set about removing everything from the stallion before setting to work on cleaning off and reshoeing the beast.


	5. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the song I was listening to when I wrote the beginning of this chapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxGE65pn2vg called The Voice by Celtic Woman. I highly recommend listening to it.

Her head was pounding as if she had had too much drink though she didn't remember drinking at all, she did, however, remembering meeting a red-headed woman with emerald (or was it white-haired with lavender eyes?) eyes who had called herself "The Maker's Bride" and they had had a chat about Rosea's worth in Thedas, and of course the woman had encouraged her to remain in Thedas because "Rosea was changing lives without even realizing it," and that Rosea was "The only one who could truly stop the Dread Wolf" but Rosea doubted that last part until a man, who had presented himself as a rather humble warrior (which Rosea didn't know was a thing) with dirty blonde hair and smiling chocolate brown eyes (which reminded Rosea of a fatherly figure who had lived a good life) and now Rosea thought back to their conversation as she slowly allowed herself to awaken. 

_Rosea was speaking to a woman whose hair was as red as fire with eyes as green as emeralds (or was the woman's hair as white as untouched snow with eyes the color of lavenders?) and the two were discussing something that Rosea couldn't remember if it was important or not but that didn't really matter as the woman was smiling and treating Rosea as if she was a daughter with some really good battle stories from her time at war. The woman had called herself Andraste, Bride of the Maker, and Rosea had thought nothing of it, "But you still feel guilt over your friend Kaeso's death?" Andraste inquired as Rosea nodded._

_"I do...He was one of my close friends...and He was Maxwell's lover... I believe it to be my fault that Kaeso had to throw himself between the blood mage and me."  Rosea explained as she looked away from the woman who smiled gently._

_"It was not your fault," Andraste said placing a gentle hand upon Rosea's cheek. "From what you've just said, Kaeso knew what he was doing. He **KNEW** you needed to be kept alive, he seemed to know that you are special and important."_

_"I don't see how I am either of those things. As far as I know, I'm just a plain old human woman."_

_"Oh but you are not, Rosea, you are much more then you know," A new voice joined the two women and both looked to see a smiling man approach and Rosea studied him for a moment. He was fairly tall, around the average height for a human male if she remembered right, with what looked to be, not crows feet but laugh lines on his face which hinted to her that he laughed and smiled a lot. His dirty-blonde hair reminded Rosea of her father who, now that she really thought about it, had looked exactly like this man walking up to her and Andraste, but the strangest part to her was the fact that his eyes were the same deep rich chocolate brown as her father's eyes had been. And now that she REALLY thought about it, Andraste herself reminded Rosea of her mother, minus the fact that Rosea's mother had been a red-head with hazel eyes instead of the emerald green (or maybe they had been green and Rosea just wasn't remembering her mother's eyes correctly at that moment). "You are very special indeed," the man said as he finished walking up with a smile still present on his face. Rosea noted that he wore what looked to be like plate armor somehow made out of gold, and shield upon his back that matched the one Rosea wore, and a longsword that was seemingly the twin to the one Rosea used when in the midst of a battle with the other Nightguard as they performed their duties to the town and drove away bandits and other unsavory types. He reminded her so much of her father that she wondered if this man was her father in some form or another. "That question will answer itself in time," He continued to smile while she looked at him in shock. "No child I did not read your mind, I could see the question lingering in your eyes."_

_"oh..."_

_Andraste chuckled then, "Rosea, We have brought you here for another reason. We have been watching your actions closely ever since you first set foot on Thedas."_

_"And as we where watching we noticed how you began to adjust," The man spoke now, "We watched you struggle to adapt to Thedas, but you never once gave up. Instead, you adjusted your approach to everything."_

_"We watched as you took on the sword and shield training that your friends Kaeso and Maxwell insisted you learn."_

_"We watched as you met the Rutherford siblings with that Cullen lad being the last," The man winked at her then, causing Rosea to blush something fierce as she looked away sheepishly._

_"We watched as you met the children of all the families, and earned the trust of the people of the village you live in."_

_"We even watched as you defended everyone against a bandit raid at night as you stood alone for hours on end until Kaeso and Maxwell and several other men and women joined you." The man reached out to touch the ever-present scar upon her face that she had earned that night, which had made several of the men and women comment that it made her look even more badass than she already was because of how long she had stood alone against a bandit raid and now the scar remained as constant reminder that she would do **anything** to protect the people of her home even stand alone if she had to. "We have watched it all."_

_"We have even seen how bloody your past is, how you stand and lift your head up to the sky or even dance when it rains."_

_"We watched you celebrate the seasons, the animals and many more. I have even seen you respond to when I have called out your name," The man spoke before pulling away again._

_Andraste nodded and they spoke some more until the older woman smiled, "Now I think it is time for you to return. There is someone waiting for you."_

_"What?" Rosea asked as the man nodded._

_"Indeed," The man then smiled and, taking a line from her favorite song in all of her existence spoke as he reached out and placed his palm on her exposed arm, "Answer my call and I'll set you free." He spoke as she felt a warm sensation upon her arm where his palm was. "Answer my call when it is time and you will see just how special you really are."_

Then that world had gone black and now as Rosea awoke in the very real Thedas, Rosea realized that she was not dreaming anymore and heard someone praying fervently as a zealot would and it took her a moment for her sluggish mind to recognize the voice. Upon finally awakening, she turned to face whoever was praying and noted a familiar blonde-haired ex-templar with his forehead placed on the thumbs of his enfolded hands being the person who was praying like a zealot. Not sure if she should trust her voice or not Rosea was wondering how to get his attention when she was suddenly assaulted by two very cold and wet noses which caused her to inhale and subsequently grabbed Cullen's attention whose head snapped up so fast she wondered how he **_DIDN'T_** break his neck. "Rosea!" She looked over towards him as best as she could with two large hounds in the way as they begged for her attention as well. She noted that he looked like he had been crying (and had the tear lines to prove it) and also looked as if he hadn't slept in days, which she didn't doubt as she was sure news of her collapse had spread throughout the town by now and with as much as the townspeople cared about her, she wouldn't be surprised to hear if half of them hadn't slept either. When she made to ask him how long she had been out, he spoke swiftly, not giving her a chance to use her voice (which she was partially glad for as she wasn't sure if she wanted to test it without having water nearby to drink). "Almost two weeks," he told her as she flinched, "A mage has come by every day since to ensure that you would get the necessary nutrients to keep you alive." She understood that, but then he reached out to touch her but stopped short, "You should get some sleep," he said pulling away, "The poison may be out of your body, but it did a bit of damage to you. You need your rest to be able to recover fully." He told her before looking away, "Mia will be here when you wake. She's been worried about you," He explained as she nodded and closed her eyes. She was still very tired and the moment her eyes closed, she passed out. Cullen looked towards Rosea,  _Rosea..._ While he was glad that _HE_ was the first person she had seen upon waking and that he had been there to see her awaken, he also felt stupid for not fully reaching out and touching her to make sure this wasn't all a dream. Yet even at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to reach out and brush the strands of hair from her face as she slept. 

"You know, it's not doing either of you any good for you to hide your feelings about her from her," Cullen looked over to see Maxwell leaning against the door.

"I could never give her what she deserves," Cullen frowned as he looked back towards Rosea.

"You think she cares?" Maxwell asked as Cullen looked back at him, "I've known Rosea for four months, actually make that five now," Maxwell approached the man and stood beside the foot of Rosea's bed as he looked at the sleeping young woman who Cullen turned back to as both Tobias and Faylen cuddled up to her. "Rosea doesn't tell anyone anything about herself very often and the only people who actually know about her origins are you and me, and formerly Kaeso." 

Cullen looked towards Maxwell in shock now, "You know?" 

"It was I who suggested that she keep it secret," Maxwell studied Rosea now as Cullen turned back to the young woman. "Do you know that she doesn't dream?"

"What?"

"She still dreams, but she doesn't dream as we do. She has nightmares but doesn't suffer from demons trying to use them for their own means because she's not of Thedas," Maxwell sighed. "She used to tell me all about her dreams, how they were influenced by memories, books, music and many other things from her world and I would listen to it all with interest." Maxwell moved to the other side of the bed and walked until he could reach out with a hand and brush back her bangs, "But that all stopped when you arrived in town."

"Really?" Cullen turned to Rosea and studied her. 

"She didn't show it or let it slip until she spoke with me about it, but she recognized you right away, even before Mia introduced you two," Maxwell closed his eyes. "I saw it long before either of you realized it. I could see the way you both looked at each other whenever the other turned away. I saw it in the way you watched her walk away that first time you two crossed paths. You two were already infatuated with each other and had yet to realize it yourselves." Maxwell then met Cullen's golden gaze. "Don't let your past be the reason you don't tell her how you really feel. The worst that could happen is her telling you that "she's not ready" and asking you to wait for her to be ready."

With that Cullen watched as Maxwell walked out of the room before looking towards Rosea and the two sleeping Mabari, one of whom was "boofing" in their sleep while the other rested with head on Rosea's stomach (to which she had unknowingly placed a hand on said dog's head) and was snoring. Cullen sighed as he lowered his head and thought over Maxwell's words. _"I wish I could tell her but I will be leaving soon to head to the Sanctuary grounds..."_ and Cullen felt a stinging feeling in his heart as he realized that he was leaving just before dawn the next day and realized that he wouldn't get to say goodbye to her.  _But then again if he did try to tell her goodbye, he would find it impossible to leave,_ His logical mind reminded him as he closed his eyes for a brief moment. No, he had to leave without telling her goodbye or he would never get to the Sanctuary and that was extremely important to him right now. Maybe he could come back to visit for the holidays, and stop by to see her (and any future husband if she found a nice young man to marry while Cullen was gone) and his family. Soon enough Mia came walking in and shooed him away after he told her that Rosea had awoken for a bit but he had insisted on her returning to sleep to save up what little energy she did have and she continued to shoo him away like he was a fly. 

****

The next week found Rosea back up and working on the cabin, granted everyone was throwing a fit because she shouldn't be up and about so soon after being poisoned and as badly injured as she had been but she was restless and at least doing this kept her mind busy and off of the fact that Cullen had left without at least **_TELLING_** her he was leaving, but she also understood why he had but that didn't mean she was any less upset about it as she did consider him a friend even if it was a rocky friendship at best. So to keep her head, Rosea began to work on the cabin floors after all but annihilating the old furniture, which had been worse then she had originally believed. Instead of just being dust covered and moldy like she had believed, they had also been as rank as a paper factory and sewage system combined and she had been forced to not only open all the windows but the doors as well so as not to choke to death on the rancid smell coming from the furniture. "Hey Rosea, are you in he- _**WHAT** in the Maker's good name is that **HORRID** smell?_" Rosea looked over to see the Knight-Commander of the Templars in the Chantry of the village walking in and fought back a smirk and a laugh as she watched him get right smacked by the horrid stench of the old furniture which she was still tearing apart. 

"It's called old furniture that's been around for a little too long," She apologetically smiled at him as the man looked her way. 

" ** _Maker's balls!_ **We should have emptied this place out long ago!" he managed through a choked sounding voice and tears at the edges of his eyes. "You mind stepping outside for a bit so we can talk without being gagged to death by stench alone?"

"Sure," She stood and frowned at her outfit. "Well, this shirt and the pants are ruined," She muttered as she and the Knight-Commander stepped outside of the cabin.

"Buy a new pair on me when you head to town," he told her as she gave him a look. "I'm offering, so don't give me that look." He stated as she huffed and looked away.

"ANYWAY, was there something you needed?" She inquired as he nodded. 

"I came to see how you are doing, outside of the fact that you are clearly disobeying orders," He told her as she scratched an itch on the back of her head. 

"Could be better," She replied as he saw the look.

"You're upset with that Rutherford lad," He knew why she was up and about so soon despite clear orders from himself, the healers and Captain Maxwell. 

"Yes and no, I know WHY he left without saying anything to me but I still see him as a friend and..."

"...and like how you are with your friends, your upset because he didn't say goodbye." Rosea nodded despite the comment not being a question but a statement. The Knight-Commander sighed then, "Rosea, I know you don't want to hear this, but sometimes you just have to let things and people go."

"I know..." Rosea didn't look at the Knight-Commander even as he pulled her into a hug. 

"He may not be the one for you," He told her softly as she returned his hug. "Sometimes I swear, you are just as stubborn as I was at your age that sometimes I wonder if you aren't my daughter after all."

"Probably doesn't help that you treat me like such and that some people actually _BELIEVE_ that we are related," She smiled as they pulled away from each other.

"Very true, and the fact that you have called me "dad" or "father" at times probably only adds to that belief," He pulled her into a one-armed hug before walking away. "I'll see you later kiddo, and make sure to get that furniture out of that house!" He called back as she laughed now. 

"I'm working on it!" She called after him as she turned and began working once more to remove **_ALL_** of the nasty ass old furniture.


	6. Five

It was a rainy fall day when Cullen returned to the town to not only visit with his family but also to mourn the loss of his parents with his siblings as All Soul's Day was fast approaching. After he had greeted everyone, even the children who swiftly lost interest in him because they were all preparing to head to Rosea's where Faylen's and Tobias's first litter of puppies were and the children were excited about seeing the pups, especially Leona who was excited about being able to have the first pick. "ALRIGHT!" Mia called out as she snagged the attention of the children. "Are you all ready?" She asked as the children nodded. "Then let's go visit Rosea." She told them as the children somehow managed to exit the house without breaking down the door. Turning to Cullen, Mia spoke swiftly, "If you dare say ONE thing to Rosea and ruin this day, I will flay you alive and feed you to the dogs." Cullen flinched back and nodded. 

"Got it!" he told her as they headed out and soon arrived at Rosea's. Stopping to look around Cullen noted how much better the entire place looked and wondered if she had done it all by herself (which in truth made him feel guilty). 

"Maxwell," Mia called out as the man waved to them from where he was leaning against the railing. "Where is Rosea?"

"She's already in the stable with Faylen and the pups. Apparently Tobias," He motioned his head towards Cullen's Mabari who was glancing towards his master before looking towards the stable with a whimper and whining, "Sired some really gorgeous pups."

Cullen sighed and waved his dog away and Tobias rushed off to go see his mate and offspring. Cullen felt a tug on his shirt and looked to Leona who was looking up at him expectantly, "Rosea?" She inquired towards the man and he seemed to understand immediately. Glancing at Mia and Maxwell both of whom nodded towards the stable, he sighed and scooped the little girl up into his arms.

"Let's go see Rosea and the puppies," he smiled as he began walking towards the stable, while also silently praying that Rosea didn't hold it against him that he left without saying goodbye that first time. Upon entering the stable, Cullen set Leona down and the little girl went racing towards the sounds of yipping puppies. Following Leona who cried out Rosea's name earning Rosea calling to her, Cullen soon came to the door and the sight that greeted him had him speaking to Rosea, "So I see you have a pile of puppies." he teased as Rosea looked at him with a mock glare for a moment before sticking her tongue out at him like a child. 

"Rather it be a pile of puppies than a pile of dirty clothing," She shot back before shooing the puppies over to Leona who was immediately swarmed and now giggling. Standing up, Rosea walked over to where Cullen was and leaned against the wall as he leaned against the door. 

"Rosea, I-!"

"Don't Cullen," She interrupted him with a hand held up before dropping her voice. "I know why you left like you did. Granted I'm still not the happiest person about how you left without telling me goodbye at first, but I also know you really had no other choice. You have important business to attend to, things that I couldn't begin to understand even if I tried."

"I still feel bad for leaving like that though," He told her as they watched Leona and the puppies as they played with each other. 

"I'm used to it," She informed him as he looked towards her, "You aren't the first person to do that to me and I doubt you will be the last," Rosea watched Leona with a smile. "But I'm so used to it that I've learned to just move on with my life, not that it's always the brightest idea I could have." Rosea sighed, "Besides, I still have those who I will protect to my dying breath." She reached up and touched her scar which made Cullen wonder what she meant as no one had told him the story behind the scar.

"What do you mean?' He inquired softly as Rosea looked at him from the corner of her eye. 

"Did no one tell you the story behind my scar?" She inquired as she watched him shake his head. "Figures," She huffed out with unamusement. "Long story made short, I earned this scar during the first month I lived here, during a bandit raid on the town, where I stood alone for the majority of the battle with odds stacked against me." Cullen looked to her in shock. "If you want I can tell the full story to you later." 

"Of course." Now he wanted to hear this story, but that was for a later time.

"How disappointed my so-called family would be if they found out about me now." 

"What?" Cullen looked towards her as she smiled. 

"After my father and mother died, I was adopted out and into a family who tried to raise me into an obedient young woman who would do everything she was told while not daring to speak of any suffering she would endure along the way," Rosea closed her eyes and touched her scar again, "They tried to teach me to hide any forms of bruising, scarring or scratches, with broken bones being the only exception to that rule. All members. mostly the females, in that family were not allowed to get tattoos as those were "markings of sins", which now that I think about it was slightly hypocritical as the men all had the same tattoo but what the fuck do I know? I was "just a girl" to them and less than dirt when I refused to bend to the rules. Boy if they saw me now half of them would throw a shit fit and the other half I'd beat the shit out of." 

"Sounds like it wasn't a family but something else."

"It was," Rosea huffed, "Not that it bothered me, with me being the "black sheep" and all," She scratched at an itch on her unmarred cheek. "With as many scars and tattoos I have, they would be appalled at the sight of me."

"You have tattoos?" Cullen inquired as she nodded. 

"Maybe one day you'll get to see a couple of them," She smiled with eyes softening as she watched Leona and one remaining puppy (as the others had lost interest in the little girl) snuggle as they fell asleep. "Well look at that, Leona has a little friend."

Cullen looked over and saw what Rosea was seeing and felt his heart turn to mush at the sight as he gave his own soft smile, "It would appear so." 

Then Rosea and Cullen looked at each other, "I really don't want to separate them because that is just too adorable."

"Agreed," Cullen nodded before Rosea snapped her fingers as an idea came to her.

"You carry her and I will carry the pup to the cabin, there are two spare rooms, we can put them in the spare bedroom with a spare blanket on the bed in case the puppy makes a mess," Rosea told him as he nodded and together they walked over to the sleeping pair and each picked up one of the two and soon left the area as Tobias remained with Faylen as the proud parents watched over the remaining puppies, both laying in front of the door to prevent the pups from sneaking out. 

As Cullen carried Leona, and Rosea carried Leona's puppy, they discussed other things until they reached the cabin where Mia was waiting for them and both watched as her heart seemed to melt at the sight of the two and their unconscious burdens. "Well isn't this a sight," Mia smiled warmly as she eyed the little girl before looking to Rosea and the pup in her arms. "I take it one of them chose her?" 

"Yes, he did," Rosea nodded, "This little boy chose Leona," Rosea smiled as they walked into the cabin to one of the spare rooms where Mia helped set down a spare blanket for both Leona and the pup to sleep on. As Mia left the room, Rosea found herself lingering for a bit and Cullen stood near the door watching her. He could see the look of longing she had on her face and knew that look well. It was the look of a woman who yearned to have children but couldn't and wouldn't without someone there to help raise them. 

"Rosea?" Cullen called softly, snapping Rosea back into the real world. 

"Coming," Rosea told him as she quickly (and quietly) made her way towards him, only stopping to look back once she was at his side. 

"You love Leona don't you?"

"She's the closest person to me that reminds me of my baby sister." That had Cullen frowning as he looked towards her. "I may have been adopted out when I was younger, but my baby sister and I were always together, until the day we weren't..." She told him softly as they finally escaped the room, "I think that's also another reason Leona is so attached to me, I think she could sense that bond that I lost the day my sister died." She shook her head, before turning and opening the door to the third room to reveal an office with a messy desk in there. "Hey, Max!" 

"Yeah?" The man popped his head around the corner and looked towards Rosea.

"You said you put the thing on my desk right?"

"It's in the top drawer."  

"Gotcha," She said as she walked into her office and over to the desk to pull out a rolled up parchment. "Oh...grand...the royal seal." 

"The King himself knows about us now?"

"Apparently so and from what it looks like..." Rosea did not tear her gaze away from the letter she was reading, "His Majesty has invited me to come personally speak with him about making the Nightguard an official thing."

"Wait! Why didn't he invite me?"

"As it says here: 'though I would also invite the Captain to come with, I am aware his duties bind him to remain where he is while you are away'," Rosea glanced at Maxwell who grumbled his agreement. 

"When does it say he wants you there?"

"At my earliest convenience, which means after the holiday, which honestly isn't all that unreasonable. If I plan it right, I can leave here the day after All Soul's Day be there within a week or two, stay and speak with the king and then be back before the first good snowfall," Rosea looked over towards the map of Ferelden she had hanging up near the door. "But that's also if everything goes the way I am hoping it will."

"True," Maxwell frowned as Cullen spoke.

"I can go with you if you like," Rosea looked to him as he approached her desk, "I've been meaning to head to Denerim anyway and was planning to head that way after I left here." He told her as Maxwell looked towards Rosea. 

"Would make sense for both of you to go together if both of you are going the same way. No point in traveling alone."

"When were you planning on heading out?" Rosea asked of Cullen, ignoring Maxwell who gave a very unamused expression at her disregard of his words.

"A day or two after All Soul's Day," Cullen informed her as she frowned and thought that over while looking back down at her desk. 

"I can hold off for a day, head up there with you, have my audience with the king, make the Nightguard official, then I will have to haul ass back here and hope I make it back before the first good snowfall sticks." 

"Think you can do manage that, Rosea?" Maxwell inquired knowing how she was about changing her plans. 

"I can certainly try," She spoke swiftly, "it's just getting the timing right since the first snowfall is expected to come early this year. If worse comes to worst and I don't make it back before the first snowfall sticks, then I will wait a couple of days somewhere with an inn and send a letter back by a raven." 

"If it comes to that you can stay at the Sanctuary with me for a bit. I have a spare room in the house I have there, you can stay in," Cullen offered as Rosea looked to him.

He could tell that as much as she wanted to refuse, it was better than staying at some inn with random drunkards hanging about, "As much as I want to decline, it would probably be a smarter idea then the inn." 

"Holy shit let me go mark this day on my calendar! Rosea actually admitted that an idea was better then hers- ** _OW!"_** Maxwell whined as he rubbed the back of his head from where she had hit him. He called out to Mia as he went walking out of the office and was promptly told he deserved it, causing an uproar of laughter from the gathered adults and children. 


	7. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did someone ask for the angst to finally turn into fluff sevenish chapters in? Songs I was listing to was: Kiss the girl from the movie The Little Mermaid from Disney because why the fuck not (Im pretty sure you all are sitting there going “JUST FUCKING KISS ALREADY!” I know I was) and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (both versions) from The Lion King and one more that is spoken of in the chapter.

After everyone had finally left (minus Cullen who had remained to speak with Rosea), Rosea smiled at Cullen before returning to her office to bring out a bottle of the strongest whiskey she had which caused Cullen to raise a brow. "Want some?" She inquired as he nodded with a smile.

"Where did you get it?" He asked as she smiled. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She returned as she sat down after handing him a glass specially made for this type of alcohol, "Careful it's stronger then what you are used to," She warned him, earning a skeptical look from him until he took a drink and realized just how strong it really was and started coughing which had her laughing. "I warned you!" She laughed as he set the glass down. 

"You did and I deserved that..." He managed as she continued laughing as she cleared off her desk before she walked over to the cabinet she had in her office to pull out something which looked suspiciously like a folded up chessboard. 

"Tell me something."

"Yes?"

"Do you still play chess?" 

"I do," He nodded once his coughing fit was over. That was when he finally spotted the board she set down, but then he noted the pieces were custom made, which was rare to see as these kinds of boards would normally cost a person thousands. "Where did you?"

"I've had it. It was one of the few earthly possessions I brought with me when I arrived here, My grandfather had it made for me when I was younger." 

 _So it's a sentimental piece..._ He nodded his understanding then, "I see. Did you and your grandfather play?"

"Every damn chance we had. My parents were glad for it though, as it meant that I was too busy to get into trouble and was spending time with family." Cullen listened as she explained more while they set up the board. "I believe you go first, Cullen." She motioned for him to start and he began as they continued to chat some more (with him making sure to sip the whiskey when he did pick it up). "...But its nothing like the time my father took me aside once to give something that is passed down from generation to generation."

"What would that be?" Cullen inquired as Rosea reached down and pulled something from a drawer while he made his move. Closing the drawer, Rosea looked the board over and frowned before making a careful move.

"This," She showed him as they paused in their game for a moment for him to see an amulet in the shape of a wolf standing still and looking towards him. "It's the oldest family heirloom I have and its the heraldry of my bloodline." She watched as he reached out to touch it but looked to her before she handed it to him to look over. "My father always told me, Wolves are stronger in the pack, but sometimes a lone wolf will get farther than a pack. That same lone wolf can even go so far as to start their own pack in an entirely new place. He also told me that "when falcons and hawks and other birds flee the skies, when lions, bears, and dragons cower in their dens, when roses and other plants wilt and wither away, and when any manner of game animal can no longer be seen running through the fields during either day or night, so long as the wolves, be they lone or in a pack, so long as they stand together their howls will always be heard echoing in the empty forests and hills and plains for not even the deathly stillness of the long winter can drive the wolves away as they always come back". Part of me didn't understand what he meant by that, and part of me still doesn's but one thing's for sure: I've no need to fear the big bad wolf for I too am a wolf." 

Some part of Cullen wondered what those last words meant, but then he remembered that she knew everything to include the knowledge she had about the Dread Wolf and suddenly the impact of her words hit him.  _She did not fear what Solas could do for she too was a "Wolf" and was most likely the only one who could challenge him and **win**. _He dared a glance at Rosea who had turned back to the board and began to wonder just why exactly she had been brought to Thedas as well as began to wonder just what the Maker had planned for all of His children. _I pray it is something that will help us better ourselves._

After a few rounds of chess (about two or three rounds ith Rosea losing all three). Rosea and Cullen were soon relaxing on the couch (opposite ends of course) with a fire crackling in the hearth and now their conversations turned towards speaking about nothing in particular as they, instead, enjoyed the company of the other, though both were secretly wishing for the distance between them to be nonexistent at that moment. Cullen, being the awkward and fumbling man that he was around women he had begun to see as something more then just as friends, would not close the distance though as he feared he would be seen as to forward and worried how she would perceive it. Rosea, on the other hand, knew how love in Thedas worked and that while most of the time it worked out great there were times it didn’t and that worried her as she really did want this angsty feeling that made her a raging hormonal mess to be over with. They both wanted to know how the other felt but neither would submit to that need to find out but the moment the nonsensical banter died down the need came back and suddenly both itched to speak. “Cullen, I-!” 

“Rosea, I-!” Both suddenly blushed and looked away from the other as they realized that they had just spoken at the same time. “You first...” Cullen rubbed the back of his neck as his embarrassment burned on his cheek. 

“I was hoping...” Rosea wasn’t sure how to begin now. “I feel silly now...” 

“Why?” Cullen inquired as his embarrassment disappeared for a moment. 

“Because... what I wanted to tell you...and the reason I asked you to stay while your siblings and Maxwell left was... because I...” she was struggling with telling him how she felt and she could feel his eyes on her and her blush only deepened but he seemed extra perceptive to why she was fumbling with her words. 

“You were trying to tell me the same thing I wanted to tell you,” he smiled then as he what her look to him with shock at how quickly he had picked up on what she had been trying to say. Suddenly the distance between them was closed as he scooted closer to her, “I’ve been meaning to tell you how I’ve been feeling about you for a while and I guess I’ve just been to cowardly to tell you,” He admitted as she watched him. She could see how his amber-gold eyes locked onto her blue eyes and suddenly she found the distance between their mouths slowly closing as their eyes closed. But it was too slowly apparently as in that exact moment before their lips met, Someone came knocking at the door and Cullen sighed as she giggled. 

“Don’t feel too bad,” She told him as he looked up at her, “It was always bound to happen sooner or later.” With that she pulled away to go answer the door as he scooted back to where he originally sat before he stood and turned to see who her guest was to see one of the Nightguard speaking with her. “Alright, go tell Maxwell that I will see what I can do in the morning.” She told the man who nodded and then walked off the porch and, after hopping up onto the saddle of his horse, vanished from sight as she sighed heavily and shut the door. Cullen slowly approached her as she pinched the bridge of her nose before turning to speak to him only to find him standing damn near right behind her, “Culle-?!” Suddenly as if he were a large cat whose patience had finally worn thin, he didn’t give her a moment to speak before he pounced and stole her lips with his, pinning her to the door as he kissed her. Suddenly she found herself returning it, and the kiss deepened though eventually he pulled away so they could both breathe. 

“I’m sorry!” He suddenly apologized as he realized what he had just done, “But that was...” 

“...Well worth the wait,” Rosea spoke now as he smile. 

“It was, but I hope you don’t mind not waiting for another one,” he smiled as she returned it. 

“Not one bit,” she whispered as their lips closed the distance once more, this time the kiss was gentlier, less rushed and they could savor the taste of the other’s lips. When Cullen finally left, (and Rosea had seen to the Faylen and the remaining pups) Rosea sat on her bed and was smiling as she felt the girlish need to squeal into her pillows over come her but she successfully shove that aside and settled for sitting there and smiling like a dumbass as she blushed while remembering the kissing they had done while her heart felt like it did backflips endlessly. She soon found herself wondering what it would be like to have him spend the night and how far they would go if he did, and as she lay down to sleep she realized that one of her wildest dreams, a dream that she had shared with many fangirls, had just come true and as she drifted off, she couldn’t help but feel a teeny-tiny bit smug about it. 

The next morning however, even after she had awoken, Cullen now found himself on the receiving end of teasing from _**ALL**_  three of his siblings after having admitted why he had arrived back so late the night before, though in truth he managed to ignore it as he wondered if he would get to see her again that day and sure as shit, he would and he completely missed the look between his three siblings for the simple reason of him going to be at her side to speak with her as she prepared to head back to her home, where he willingly followed her. “I never thought I would live to see the day our brother actually managed to snag himself a woman,” Branson said as Mia and Rosalie both smiled as all three watched their ex-templar of a brother follow Rosea out of town like a love stuck puppy. 

“I, for one, am happy for both of them. They’ve both been through so much, I think it’s only fair that they finally found love in each other,” Rosalie pointed out as Mia agreed. 

“That it is,” Mia smiled warmly. “You two do realize that they are going to be insufferable now right?” 

“Let them,” Branson continued to smile. “They need the happiness the other can provide. Cullen’s been through the Void and back, and Rosea hasn’t had it easy either. Let them find the peace they desperately need in each other. Maybe Cullen’ll finally get Rosea to settle down for once.” 

“And maybe she can help teach him how to love someone like her,” Rosalie sighed. 

“Maybe,” Mia continued to watch where Cullen and Rosea had disappeared off to. She knew that sooner or later the two love “birds” would do something more then just kiss and she only shook her head and felt sorry for their dogs. 

****

Rosea and Cullen entwined their fingers as they walked the path back to her home, she leaned closer to him and he smiled down at her before turning his attention back towards the pathway ahead of them and suddenly she started hearing an old disney song that was _literally_ called “Beauty and the Beast” and realized that while Cullen was no true “Beast” the majority of that song fit them almost to a “t”. They had just barely been friends and now they were something more and it left her feeling unusually happy. “What song is that you are humming?” He asked softly as she smiled and explained it to him. 

“...It was one of my many favorite songs growing up,” she informed him as he chuckled. 

“Care to sing it for me sometime?” He asked as she looked up at him and nodded. 

“How about now?” She inquired as he watched her rest her head on his shoulder as they continued walking. “ _Tale as old as time, true as it can be. Barely even friends then somebody bends, unexpectedly...”_ As she sang the entirety of the song, he listened without interrupting once. He had found himself enraptured by her voice when she first sang to Leona and even now, he could swear that she was a beautiful piece of the Fade itself brough to life for him as she sang. Yet, he was well aware that she was not touchable in the Fade as the Fade didn’t seem to acknowledge her existence and he was glad of that.

As she finished the song, he watched her with a loving gaze which she returned, “If there is one thing that I would say, it’s that you are the beauty that song speaks of.” 

“I’ve never been beautiful...” Rosea blushed as he leaned forward when they came to a stop and kissed her. 

“Oh but you are, you are a goddess among men and I am amazed I haven’t been stuck down by the Maker for being with you,” Cullen told her as he wrapped his arms around her. He felt her head rest upon his chest and squeezed her gently as he placed his chin on her head. As he held her, he felt whole, he felt as if whatever missing piece that he hadn’t been able to find had finally fallen into place. Rosea, for her part, felt the same way but she also felt safe, as if nothing could harm her while in his arms and it sent a thrill through her soul as she allowed that safe feeling to wash over her.

But one thing that both silently knew without actually knowing it was that _the Lion of Ferelden had finally found his mate._


	8. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bombshell time! because I can. Maxwell and Rosea have a secret!
> 
> Also! The song I was listening to when Max and Rosea were speaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuf6rlCYprU by Justin Jet Zorbas & C.J. Williams. I strongly, _strongly_ , recommend you listen to it when reading the parts where Max and Rosea are speaking as it will help set the mood a bit.

All Soul's Day was a rainy day, of which Rosea thought it to be very fitting given the nature of the holiday itself as a day to remember those loved ones who had passed. Standing out on her covered porch (which she had done a few days after tearing down the old furniture)  and stood at the end where she could overlook the field where Soven was getting wet while grazing and stared at nothing in particular as she watched the rain fall from the heavens above. Leaning against one of the "poles" that held the roof of the porch up, Rosea ignored the sudden "thump" as Faylen plopped down at her feet. Her pups had finally chosen all their owners and were now in their new homes which left Faylen free to return to her mistress's side. "You know Faylen," Rosea started as the hound looked up at her mistress. "I never would have thought that I could find what I have while being here in Thedas," A confused whine was the answer she was greeted by, "I never thought I'd have enough luck to find you, Soven or even be so accepted by the townsfolk or the Rutherfords, or even...find love with the person I least expected to find love with," A bark answered, "But I will tell you one thing," Another confused whine, "I wouldn't trade any of this, not you, not Soven, Nor the bonds I share with everyone here for anything not even to go back to that world where I came from," A happy bark answered her and Rosea looked towards Faylen who was watching her with her stub of a tail wagging and ears folded back as she gave the infamous Mabari smile. Leaning down Rosea reached out and pet Faylen whose butt began to wiggle with how fiercely her tail was wagging. "Even if it was offered, I don't belong to that world anymore, it not my home anymore. I belong here with you, Soven, and all the others now. That world ceased to be my home long ago and this one has taken its place." Rosea sat down as Faylen scooted close to rest her massive head in Rosea's lap while Rosea petted Faylen's head and returned to looking out over the rain-drenched land with the rain still falling. 

Unknown to Rosea, Cullen was listening to Mia as the woman was explaining to Leona why the little girl couldn't go see Rosea that day. "Rosea needs this day to be alone, Leona."

"But why?" The girl inquired as Cullen watched the exchange. Despite Leona being four years of age, and really damn smart and able to form full sentences AND being a former Spirit of Compassion, there were still moments of when she was just a normal little girl who didn't understand the world around her. 

"Do you remember how your mommy told you that today is a day that we stay at home and think of those who are here with us because they've passed on?" Leona nodded, "Well Rosea has a lot of those kinds of people who have passed on. She doesn't have her grandma or grandpa, or mommy and daddy, or any siblings except for one to be with her."

 _Rosea has another sibling? Here? **ON** Thedas? _Cullen wondered before he looked over and saw the look on Leona's face which damn near broke his heart.

"Oh..." Leona looked away from Mia for a moment, "Will she be okay?"

"She'll be fine, sweety," Rosalie spoke as she motioned for her daughter to come over to her, "Rosea just needs to be alone for a while, you're Uncle Cullen will be going to check up on her tomorrow. Won't you, Cullen?" Rosalie looked towards her eldest brother who nodded. 

"I will," He smiled towards Leona, who looked satisfied by that answer for the moment and so watched as the girl ran off to play with her puppy whom she had named Bear. Earning a laugh from all of the adults in the room. 

As the Rutherfords talked, Maxwell was headed up to Rosea's and soon plopped down next to the woman while Faylen went off to do her business behind the house. "Well, how fitting is it that today is the rainiest day ever?" He inquired as Rosea managed a smile.

"Really damn fitting," Rosea asked as she leaned back and sighed. "You know they still haven't figured it out."

"What? That both you and I are from the same world?" 

"Yep. Though I'm still wondering when the fuck you arrived here."

"I've told you! I arrived here at the start of the Inquisition." 

"I'm surprised you didn't join up with them."

"I thought about it and then I met Kaeso."

"And got married to him...Which has made me wonder something."

"Oh?" 

"Since both of you are male and were married...Whose last name did you two take?" Rosea inquired as Maxwell opened his mouth to answer before stopping to think about it.

"Good question..." He frowned then, "We never really discussed that. But If I had to chose which one, I guess I would choose his." 

"How come?"

"Same reason _they_ gave up their true last names, _Stormfury_ ," Maxwell emphasized her last name, "Too many family members dragging it through the dirt."

"True," Rosea sighed. "Max?"

"Hmn?"

"Do you...miss them?"

"Every day," he told her as they looked out over the rainy fields. "I love them just as much as you do, you know that."

"Yeah," Rosea sighed, "Somedays I just feel as if..."

"There are still with us?" Rosea nodded as Maxwell frowned, "I feel that same way. Sometimes it's just hard to believe they are really gone."

"Yeah..." Rosea closed her eyes and rested her head against the pole and together, Maxwell and Rosea sat listening to the rain as the day slowly turned into night.


	9. Eight

The next day found Rosea and Cullen on the road to Denerim (in the late afternoon as they had gathered supplies they would need that morning in town and then had said their goodbyes to Cullen's siblings and Maxwell all of whom wished them luck on the road), for a while neither spoke as they followed the road that would lead to the Imperial Highway and for the moment both were content with the silence. As they rode, Rosea managed to sneak a glance at Cullen and inwardly felt herself become giddy as a schoolgirl at the sight of the man riding beside her. He was wearing the **_FULL_** set of armor from his days as the Commander of the Inquisition's forces (minus the lion's head helm which was tide to one of the saddlebags behind him), which reminded her of the fully upgraded (aka tier four) three-star version of him from the _Heroes of Dragon Age_ mobile game she had so loved to play despite the fact that **_THAT_** version of him had evaded her at every fucking turn. But to actually _SEE_  the real Cullen in the full battle set was like a dream come true for her and honestly also turned her on as well, especially when the horse he rode, a rather handsome gelding warhorse that was of the Amaranthine Charger breed, seemed to wear an almost matching set of its own armor. Part of Rosea knew that if any bandits took one look at him, the majority would be smart enough to think twice before attempting to attack them as they rode to Denerim, but as her attention returned to the road, Rosea missed the chance glance Cullen dared towards her and he just barely smirked at how she looked. If he looked fierce, then surely she was just as if not twice as much as he was. She wasn't wearing her Nightguard armor, no, that was carefully packed away, but she was wearing an armor set that Cullen swore up and down rivaled any armor he had ever seen. Made of both plate and dragonbone (where she had gotten the dragon bones for it he could only venture a wild guess) and black as a starless night, Rosea wore a set that was described as being legendary in its own rights. Dragonbone Plate armor. Studying it carefully, Cullen noted that unlike previous incarnations of the armor, this was carefully designed to look like an armor never before seen in Thedas, and while it looked heavier than any other armor, Rosea had stated that it was actually rather light compared to most armors even with the plate mixed in, but to where Cullen had a helm to match his armor, Rosea did not. Looking back towards the road, Cullen allowed his mind to wander until it settled on something that honestly made him wonder.  _Mia said Rosea has a sibling here on Thedas, yet...I've seen no signs of him or her if she does..._ He glanced towards Rosea,  _Maybe I should ask her?_ "Rosea?"

"Hmn?" Rosea glanced over to him. 

"Mia said something to Leona about you having a sibling here on Thedas."

"And your wondering who it could possibly be?" She inquired as he nodded.

"Yes."

"I'll give you a couple of clues. He lives in the same town as your siblings and I do, but, because we don't look anything alike, it's hard to tell that we are siblings and yes, you've seen him on several occasions," She told him as her attention turned back to the road, leaving him to weed out who it could be. 

As they rode in silence, due to Cullen's mind working in trying to figure out who in that entire village could be Rosea's brother, but it only really came to him when they pulled off the road to set up a camp in the woods a ways away from the Highway as the sun dipped halfway below the horizon and now Cullen felt like a complete idiot for not noticing it earlier. "It's Maxwell isn't?" That earned Cullen a smile. 

"It is. Maxwell may not look it, but he is my twin brother."

"Wait! Your twin?!" Rosea nodded. 

"We don't really look alike because Maxwell looks like our grandfather on our father's side, and I have been told time and time again that I look like my grandmother on our Mother's side, well minus the scar of course. But there are still minor traces of us being siblings if one only looks close enough." 

Cullen's head was reeling now. Maxwell and Rosea honestly did not look anything alike, but to hear the confirmation from Rosea herself had Cullen doing a double take on his memories, and now, as he looked at Rosea a bit closer, Cullen saw it. Maxwell and Rosea had the same eye color, the same hair color, and a few other features that screamed out that these two had been born from the same mother and had the same father. But until Rosea had said something, Cullen would have **_never_** ventured to guess that they were twins. Brother and sister, yes, but twins? He would have never been able to tell. "So...whose older?" Cullen found himself suddenly curious about them.

"Maxwell, by about half an hour." 

"Were you two separated after the death of your parents?"

"We were." Rosea nodded as she began to start a fire, "The people who adopted us out didn't want to separate us, but the family I went to live with refused to take him and only took me and our baby sister leaving him to be adopted alone."

"When did he come to Thedas?"

"Roughly around the time the Inquisition started, so he's been here for about four to five years to include a few months longer then what I have been," Cullen frowned at that but she spoke again, "And before you ask, no he has none of the knowledge as I do about the Inquisition or anything else outside of what he has learned while here." 

"And because he's been here longer, that was why you were able to settle in so quickly?"

"Sort of," Rosea sighed as the fire began to burn, "I'm still somewhat struggling with adjusting to this life, but he makes it easier for me."

Suddenly Cullen wondered who had figured out that Maxwell and Rosea were siblings, "Who figured out that you two were brother and sister?"

"Take a guess?"

"Mia," Cullen shook his head. There were days Cullen could swear his sister would put even the former spymaster of the Inquisition turned Divine to shame with how well she could figure things out or find the locations of a certain person.

"And Kaeso."

"Really?"

Rosea nodded. "Kaeso was Maxwell's husband." 

"Really?!" Cullen's brows raised at that as Rosea smirked. 

"Yes. Kaeso and Maxwell were together and married for three years before I came, so, naturally, Kaeso was going to be the first person to figure it out. And then Mia figured it out and it took both her _AND_ Kaeso getting us to spill the beans about it. Which was possibly the second most entertaining day of our lives."

"Do I dare ask what the first one was?"

Rosea touched her scar, "The night my dumbass of a brother finally grew a pair of balls and was the first to join me in standing against the bandit raid, which was also the night I earned my scar."

"I've been wondering about your scar too. The magic from the mages should have healed it fully," Cullen frowned as she shook her head. 

"The blade of the bandit that gave me this scar bit in deep and the mages didn't heal it. I downed a healing potion that Maxwell had given me for the worst of my wounds, and it healed over to what it is now, not that it bothers me any. I don't mind having scars, which Max has taken to calling my "well-earned tiger stripes"," Rosea shook her head while Cullen watched her. 

"You have more?"

"You've only ever seen this one," again she touched the scar on her face, "but I have plenty more. The majority are from that one night, but the rest are from the skirmishes and one of my newer ones is the one I have that runs across the length of my back from my left shoulder down to my right hip. Then there is the five on my upper arm here," She touched the upper part of her left arm then, "from when I threw myself between Leona and the bear that had decided to try and attack her." 

Cullen remembered that story from one of Mia's letters just three months away from the Inquisition being disbanded. She had described how someone had thrown themselves between Leona and a bear and now Cullen knew who that one person had been. "I remember Mia mentioned something about that in one of her letters, but she never gave me much detail on it," Cullen said thoughtfully as Rosea smiled.

"For good reason," Rosea told him as he looked to her.

"Oh?"

"Think about it for a moment," Rosea told him, "How would you have felt to know that a completely random stranger, someone you didn't exactly know and who the town wasn't exactly sure of at the time, had saved your niece?"

"I wouldn't have exactly been the happiest person, but I also would have thanked them while still being unsure of their intentions and thus would have likely dropped everything to come to find out what they wanted from the people and my siblings and their children."

"Exactly. Mia didn't tell you it was me who saved Leona because she knew how you would react," Rosea nodded, "Granted, the scars I have on my arm and the other injuries I sustained that day from being thrown around like a damned rag doll kept me down and out for a couple of weeks, but I think she knew that she owed me her very life because of what I did and became so attached to me even though we have all told her she doesn't owe me anything," Rosea chuckled then as she closed her eyes and shook her head, "But as Mia would put it, Leona is a Rutherford, and it's become apparent to me that your whole family is more of a stubborn lot then what my brother and I can be." Rosea sighed then, "But don't get me wrong, while she is a bit of a pain in the ass at times, I would kill, and have killed, to protect that little girl as she was the first one to truly be willing to break the ice between the villagers and me. And I don't take those kinds of things lightly."

"You sound as if you don't mind killing anyone," Cullen commented worriedly as Rosea sighed. 

"That's the thing, I _DON'T_ like killing anyone. I **_DON'T_** like _HAVING_ to kill others and would rather find another way without having to spill blood, but I also know that I won't always have that option to find another way because people will always be unpredictable. While some may be willing to be spoken to, others may not be." Rosea shook her head again, "You can even ask Maxwell. Even when we were younger I was always trying to find a way to speak to someone before it came to blows. I _HATE_ having to kill, but if there is no choice, then I will." 

"Thus it explains why bandits seem to be on your list of people you kill."

"Exactly. I've been able to talk some out of that path, a few are in the Nightguard now and are thriving because of it as they finally have an honest job and life, but those few were the exception as they never WANTED to live lives of thievery. Others, it can't be helped." Cullen felt sorrow in his heart for Rosea now. Here she was, a woman who would  _try_ to be diplomatic in the way she handled things but had also seen that sometimes diplomacy wasn't always an option. 

"What about that bear? Mia never said what happened to it in her letter."

"We killed it. There was honestly no choice in that one as it had been spotted getting closer and closer to the town every day and we knew it would only be a matter of time before it had to be put down."

"I see," Cullen frowned as he finally sat down next to her, "Well if anything, I'm glad you were the one to save Leona."

Rosea smiled at him with a slight chuckle. "And I would do it all over again," She told him as she rested her head on his chest as he pulled her close. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The armor Rosea is wearing in this chapter is called the Dragonbone (or Dragonplate) armor from the Skyrim game hence why Cullen isn't sure about the design. I never really like the helm that goes with that set from that game so my characters in Skyrim never wear the helm from it which is also why Rosea doesn't have the helm for it (it looks so stupid to me).


	10. Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs that helped with this chapter: 
> 
> “Summer Wine” by Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood (for when The dress part)
> 
> “Val Royeaux” and “Orlais Theme” from the DA:I soundtrack (for when Rosea is dancing with an Orlesian man)
> 
> “My Heart Will Go On” Celtic Woman version (for when Rosea and Alistair dance)

To say the real-life version of Denerim was huge would have been a major understatement. The Market **_ALONE_** was massive, and that wasn't saying much for what the rest of the city would look like. As Rosea and Cullen rode into the city, Rosea allowed Cullen to take the lead as she honestly had no idea which way was the correct one to the Palace and he seemed to just know it, but he also seemed to notice that Rosea was struggling to keep her calm as they rode towards the palace due in part to the whispers that followed in their wake. Slowing his horse, he let her catch up and dropped his voice to a whisper that only she could hear. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, I've just never really been good in large crowds of people." She explained, hinting at something more being the reason she was struggling so badly at keeping her calm. Not caring who saw, Cullen reached out and took her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze before raising it to his lips so he could leave a gentle kiss there causing a bright blush to form on her cheeks.

"We'll be in the palace soon, I promise, just keep following me and keep your attention ahead of you," He smirked as he watched the red color bloom on her face from her sudden embarrassment at what he had done. But she did as he said and just like he promised they soon arrived to the Palace where the King, himself, awaited them. 

“Alistair. It’s good to see you again,” Cullen spoke as he dismounted, but when he turned to help Rosea, he saw that she was already out of the saddle and on the ground. 

“Good to see you too,” The King, Alistair (as Rosea understood it), smiled upon seeing his old friend. “And you must be Lady Rosea?” Alistair turned to Rosea as she saulted and nodded. She was unsure of how to greet him as it wasn’t everyday a common person was able to speak to royalty. 

“Please, Your Majesty, just Rosea. I care little for titles,” Rosea told him as he huffed out a laugh. 

“Then please call me Alistair,” He smiled as she nodded to that. 

“As you wish.” So far she was finding the King of Ferelden to be rather different in his approach to people and part of her rather liked that about him. “But seeing as how we are in public, I will refer to you by your titles, Your Majesty.” 

“And If I ordered you to call me by name?” Alistair smiled as a smile broke across her face while Cullen watched the exchange. 

“Then who am I to disobey my King?” She returned as he laughed. _Yep, he is the goofy King I remember him to be when I made him King in the games._ Rosea smiled as Alistair invited them to follow him into the palace.

They spoke with him for a while before he smiled at them. “I’m sure you both are tired so I have taken the liberty of having rooms prepared and baths drawn for you both,” He waved over a servant to lead them to their rooms. He then explained that he would like to see them both later for dinner with him (and a bann or two, some visiting Orlesian nobles and some Free Marcher nobility as well) and they thanked him before following the servant who waited patiently for them to follow.

As Rosea entered her room (with Cullen across the hall much to both her enjoyment and amusement) she looked over and saw that all of her things were already in the room and decided that the rather large and steaming bath (in the private bathroom, which was a bonus to here) was irresistible at that moment and soon was undressed and stepping into the semi-scalding water. After she had soaked for a moment, she quickly scrubbed herself clean with her lilac scented “body wash”, washed her hair with the Thedosian version of shampoo and conditioner and soon, got out and dried off before dressing in a dress she had been saving for this particular case. Since Maxwell had been so persistent on making sure she had a dress “because one never knew”, part of her was glad her brother had bought it for her. While it was nothing too fancy, it wasn’t something a commoner would wear either. Smiling as she looked in the mirror at herself, Rosea KNEW she would be making it very hard on Cullen to keep his concentration and that brought a slight smirk to her lips. The dress by itself was beautiful to look at (well to her it did as it was black as the night), but upon her, she was actually quite surprised to see that it was quiet stunning. It hugged her curves in the right places and flowed towards the floor, yet did not impede her ability to walk; yet where the shoulders of the dress should have been, there was none and it was instead held up by black lace which still did not touch her shoulders leaving those (and her throat along with part of her back and the area just abit above her breasts, which were covered by the dress and abit of the lacing) exposed to the kiss of the cool air but it was connected to lace sleeving which flowed gracefully onto and over where the black gloves she wore to cover her hands started just above her elbows. After a moment, a servant came in to help her dress but found her already dressed and just in need of her hair and a bit of makeup done (by a bit of make up it was meant a bit of what passed for lipstick and a light dusting of what passed for eyeshadow as well). Once her hair, which the servant had done a bit of playing with to bring out Rosea’s hidden wavy curls, and the light touching of makeup (minus anything that wasn’t the eyeshadow or lipstick or even the suggesed bit of make up to help the scar on her face to “fade” a bit which would make it harder to spot but that had required only a bit of makeup that would easily was off with a bath or a wet cloth once Rosea was preparing for bed) was all done, Rosea smiled at her reflection and thanked the servant for aiding her, which earned a deep blush from the elven woman who had come to help. 

“My mother always said I had a knack for things like this...” 

“Then your mother should be very proud. For you have not only done a wonderful job but you may have also just helped to ensure that some jaws will drop as well.” 

The younger woman blushed again, “it...was nothing...ma’am...” Rosea smiled again as the servant left and another entered to lead Rosea to the dining hall. 

Upon entering, Rosea could see that Cullen was already in the room, dressed in a uniform of black, white and gold. _Damn, that man is truly made for wearing uniform shirts and pants._ Rosea thought to herself as she headed towards where he stood speaking with Alistair, who spotted her first and damn near about dropped his wine glass upon seeing her. Which had a domino effect as it forced Cullen to turn and the second hesaw Rosea his jaw really did almost drop at the transformation she had managed. “Your Majesty, Ser Cullen.” Rosea greeted both men who stood dumbfounded. 

“Lady Rosea,” Alistair greeted her in return once he recovered. 

Cullen, however, took a few more moments to fully recover, “Lady Rosea, you look...” He couldn’t find the right word for how gorgeous she looked to him. “...Gorgeous.” He finally managed as he saw her smile in return. 

“You, yourself, look rather stunning, Ser.” She told Cullen as he shifted and cleared his throat. Thankfully a servant brought over some wine glasses and Rosea took one with some sort of red wine (which was very sweet) in it. After a bit of a chat with Alistair, Rosea dismissed herself from both Cullen and Alistair, having decided to mingle with the others in the room and felt Cullen’s golden gaze the whole time which brought a smile to her face. Oh, she was sure she would “pay” dearly later for poking and teasing the Lion of Ferelden like she was, but she couldn’t help but have a bit of fun with it now. She was sure that for each Noble who kissed her knuckles (to include the Fereldan Banns who had shown up) his figurative hackles began to rise, but when one of the Orlesian nobles decided to be a “brave” lad and ask her to dance, which she gracefully accepted, she just barely caught the look on his face as Alistair finally realized what was wrong with his longtime friend (and was now struggling not to laugh) as he watched Cullen glare at the noble Rosea danced with. Oh Rosea really  _ **was**_ going to pay for what she was doing but she was enjoying every moment of it while this moment in time lasted. As she danced, Rosea was glad her mother had “forced” her to endure those ballroom dancing lessons from when she was younger as her muscles remembered every step and motion. 

“You dance with a grace that would put most Orlesian women to shame My Lady,” The young Nobleman spoke as Rosea smiled. 

“My mother was insistent on my learning how to properly dance and was never truly satisfied until she was sure that it would never leave my memory,” Rosea replied as he chuckled softly. 

“A smart woman, many of the other Orlesian women in this room look positively jealous of you, not only because of your skill and grace but also because you dance with one of the most sought after men in Orlais, myself.” 

“Oh! Then I am truly honored and blessed indeed, my Lord,” Rosea told him as she acted surprised (now also glad her mother had honed her skills of acting as well). “For this is truly something I could never have expected!” 

“Few rarely do, My Lady,” He told her as she spun before they returned to their close dancing. They spoke a bit longer, at least until the song ended, mostly about himself (which prompted her to think of how much Orlesian men really did remind her of male Peacocks) and soon they parted ways as Rosea returned to Cullen and Alistair, one of whom decided to test her dancing skills himself. 

Alistair looked to Cullen with an _almost_ apologetic look as he led Rosea to the dance floor and as they began their dance, Alistair dropped his voice to speak with Rosea, “You are enjoying this aren’t you?” 

“Why, Your Majesty, what ever could you be speaking of?” Rosea smiled as Alistair chuckled. 

“You know, toying around with Rutherford.” 

“Oh that?” Rosea couldn’t hide the sparkle in her eyes then, “This is nothing. I know I am doing, I’m just wondering how long until he does something.” 

“My Lady! Are you trying to get him to do something?” 

“Now that is a scandalous thought, Your Majesty!” Rosea giggled as Alistair smirked. “I do not believe Ser Rutherford will swoop down and steal me away like a barbarian for that would be very bad!” 

“Yes, Swooping is very bad last I heard,” Alistair smirked before noting the dirty looks he was receiving from Cullen. “I believe Ser Rutherford wishes to slay me.” 

“He would do no such thing.” 

“I hope not, I do rather like living.” That earned a laugh. “I am glad you and he are here through, Ro.” 

“Hush with that nickname, Alistair!” Rosea hissed quietly. “You know I couldn’t just let you be harmed! Minus the fact that outside of my brother, his desceased lover and Cullen, you are the only other person who knows of my origins. That and I owe you my very life.” 

“I told you not to worry about that,” Alistair frowned as she sighed. 

“You know I’m going to. It’s a life debt that I will see paid in full,” She reminded him as they danced. “Not just because you are the King, but because you are one of the few friends I do have in this world.” For a while neither spoke.

“You know, I still think you would have made an excellent queen.” He whispered as their dance drew to a slow close. 

“We were never meant to be Alistair, you and I both know this.” 

“I don’t regret it, you know,” Alistair told her softly, “My offer will always stand, and if things don’t work out with Cullen...” 

“I know,” Rosea nodded, “If Cullen and I don’t work out though...I may just leave Ferelden altogether... I couldn’t put him through the suffering of seeing his best friend being with an ex-lover. That would be too cruel and is not my way.” 

“I see,” Alistair nodded before pulling away to kiss the back of her hand. “But my offer will always stand, should you ever wish to take it.” 

“Thank you,” Rosea told him before walking away leaving Alistair to return to where he had been with Cullen before. 

“What happened?” Cullen inquired having been perceptive of the change in Rosea’s mood. 

“Business.” Alistair replied quickly, which had Cullen looking at him in suspicion before turning away to approach Rosea who was standing alone for the moment. 

“Rosea?” Cullen asked softly as she turned to him. 

“Yes?” She asked as he finished his careful approach. 

“Is everything alright?” 

“Everything will be fine,” she smiled in a reassuring manner. She could see that he didn’t believe her but she knew he wouldn’t press his luck. Reaching up she brushed the palm of her hand along his cheek which had him leaning his head into her hand, “I promise, everything will be alright. Now enough about me. How are you holding up?” She inquired as he sighed. 

“I could do with a lot less of the Orlesian women running around trying to steal my attention, but I am fine for the moment.” 

“Well it’s easy to fix the Orlesian women issue,” Rosea smirked mischievously then as he raised a brow. 

“Oh?” 

“Mmn, indeed,” with that she stood on her tiptoes and left a somewhat visible kiss mark on him and swore she felt him shiver as she left the imprint of her lips upon him. “That should deter them. Especially when some just watched me do that.” 

“You are a temptress, are you aware of that?” Cullen inqured as Rosea smiled sweetly in return. 

“I am no temptress, if I were truly trying to tempt you, I’m sure we would have done more then just some stolen kisses,” with those words Rosea walked away to mingle some more and Cullen watched her go and fought back a growl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah! How badly I wanted this to have smut!!! But I’m saving the smut for next chapter! The struggle!!! T-T
> 
> And ALISTAIR CAMEO! Because why the fuck not (and yes I just had to poke the Lion because who wouldn’t? And oh boy is Rosea going to pay dearly for it later)


	11. Ten (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Throws the first scene of smut at all of you* HAVE SOME SMUT! *scurries away as quickly as possible* let me know how you all liked it? Maybe?

Rosea had just barely washed her makeup off and had bathed (again) when someone knocked on her door. Unsure of who would come knocking this late, she called for the person to enter and was almost surprised to see that it was only Cullen coming in. “Cullen?” She asked as the man looked to her before he closed the door behind him. He had a neutral look on his face and it worried her, “Is everything alright?” She inquired as he finally smiled. She knew out of the two of them, Cullen was still sober (she was losing the buzz that she had built up with the wine she had had). 

“I was about to ask you that as well,” He approached her and kissed her softly on the lips, which started a fire in her lower parts. He pulled away for a moment to look into her eyes and she wondered what he was doing. 

“Cullen?” 

“How drunk are you?” 

“I barely have a buzz going, the wine was diluted with something,” she told him as he smiled. 

“Alistair told me that he had made sure the wine you were given was diluted with juice shortly after you left the hall after dinner to come back here, but I figured I better check on you just incase.” 

“Oh that sneaky bastard!” Rosea huffed as Cullen chuckled. 

“He also told me how he knows about you and the offer he gave that you refused,” Rosea’s eyes were wide now but he wouldn’t let her speak as he continued. “He told me how lucky I am to have you as well.” 

“What...what do you mean?” Rosea asked as Cullen walked her backwards and trapped her between him and the wall with one of his hands being placed on the wall as he loomed over her

“He told me that you told him that even if you and I don’t work out, how you would refuse to put me through the pain of watching you be with him and would leave Ferelden altogether if it came to that.” Cullen began to run a finger along her jaw, just lightly enough to stir something deep within her. “It would appear that you are a very loyal woman, Rosea. Especially when it comes to me,” Cullen leaned forward and kissed her lips before kissing and nipping along her jaw, earning himself a strangled sound that he could swear was a held back moan. 

“Cul...len” she barely managed as he kissed at her jugular vein. 

“Maybe it’s time I reward your loyalty, hmn?” He whispered with a husky voice, “Or maybe I should punish you first for what you have been doing to me all night, you temptress.” 

“I haven’t-“ she felt him nip at her jawline again and fought another moan, “I haven’t done anything...” she felt him sneak a hand under her oversized shirt to begin playing with one of her breasts. 

“Oh but you have,” He returned as he began working with the breast he had as his thumb worked the peak into stiffness, “You know exactly what you’ve been doing to me since you arrived in that dress at the hall.” He growled low causing her to squirm until he pulled away to snag both her wrists in one of his hands and held them captive above her head. “You toyed with me... teased me all night as I was forced to watch other men put their hands upon you,” his hand moved from her breast and trailed down towards her pants which he swiftly pulled away from her as his hand snaked between her smalls and her skin, never once breaking contact with her. He watched as she tried to squirm away but he kissed her with a gentleness which soon grew needy as his hand found what he was looking for and that had him growling low, “You are positively soaking!” He hissed as he studied her face. Moving a finger upon the folds that hid her entrance, he heard her whimper at that moment and smirked. “So, so wet...” 

“Cullen! Please!” She whined towards him as he chuckled. 

“Please what?” 

“Please....I need...” she didn’t really get to say much as he chose that moment to part her lower lips and swiftly thrust a finger into her, causing her to keen as he did. He felt her wrists move as her hands clenched with the need to grab onto something. “Oh gods!” She managed as he went back to rubbing his finger against her folds. “Cullen...I...” he did it again and now she moaned. 

“You what?” He asked as she tried (and was failing) to form a coherent thought. 

“I...need...you...” she began panting as he thrust his finger in and out of her. 

“What do you need me to do?” He asked as he found her pearl and began to rub it in circles with his finger for a moment. 

“...I need you...to...to...” Rosea’s hands clenched again. He continued watching her as she struggled against what he was doing to her. 

“Open your eyes and tell me what you want me to do,” he commanded her as she opened her eyes, revealing her highly aroused state. 

But then he knew she was drawing closer to her first orgasm, when she managed to say what she needed him to do as quickly as she could manage. “Gods! Cullen! Just fuck me!” She managed as he grinned then and thrust his finger back into her and soon hit her in the spot that mad her walls clamp down around his hand as a high she had never know before swallowed her whole and she cried out his name. “CULLEN!” 

He pulled away and licked her nectar off of his hand and finger. “Just as sweet as I have imagined you to taste.” He said as she shivered still trapped in his grasp. He released her and her hands fell, not to her sides but onto his shoulders like he had been expecting. 

“Cullen...you...” she panted as soon as she came down from the high. “Sneaky...” 

“Oh, I’m not done yet,” he told her as he pulled her closer letting her feel how rock hard he was, which enticed another moan from her. “I’m not going to be finished with you for a while yet.” He told her as he thrust against her. “I have yet to finish with you and I won’t be until you are filled with my seed. Until my seed is dripping out of you with how full I will make you.” He growled low as he rocked against her again and again with each word he spoke. How he didn’t spill while doing it slightly amazed him but the thought of being in her and filling her only made it harder on him. She moaned with each rock and he knew it wouldn’t be long before she climaxed again. He knew he wouldn’t get to taste her again tonight but he needed to be within her and he needed to be in her now. To not only stake his claim on her, but to fulfill that promise he had just made as well. Quickly pulling away before he could cause them both to lose themselves to his rutting, Cullen picked her up, carried her over to the bed as they kissed with enflamed passions, yanked her pants and smalls off of her and soon pulled apart her legs to begin working her with his mouth as he used an arm to pin her to her bed. As he thrust two of his fingers into her she keened again before saying his name over and over, whether as a prayer or something else he didn’t care as he drove her into another orgasm (which she once more cried out his name) which he prolonged by continuing to pump his fingers in and out of her while he feasted on her nectar like a starved man. 

Pulling away from her, for a brief moment, he rose to loom over her and kissed her deeply earning more moans from her before pulling away to rid himself of his own pants and smalls as well as their shirts. Once more he loomed over her and soon was aligning himself with her entrance, “Rosea...” he moaned her name as he rubbed the head of his cock against her entrance. Carefully, and slowly, he slid into her and he groaned. “Your so tight!” He said as she clawed at him. 

“Gods! You feel so...” She managed as she felt the mixture of pain and pleasure sweep through her. “Cullen...” she moaned as he watched her carefully. 

“Rosea...” He watched as her eyes opened then. 

“Please,” she moved her hips and he growled at the sensation that caused for him. 

He started of slow, but the moment their lips met he lost all sense of what he was doing and soon the only sounds that echoed in the room was that of their love making as he thrust into her hard and fast, while she begged him to go harder and faster, it went so far as for her to sudden wrap her legs around his waist and she clawed at his back as he thrust deep into her. She was writhing under him but soon he managed to adjust them to where they were sitting up and soon riding him as they kissed over and over. 

“Rosea...” 

“Cullen...” Rosea _rode_ him while he buck up into her. She felt another orgasm ready to bear down on her but she wanted to watch him fall apart first. To see how the Lion, _**HER**_ lion, came undone as she rode him into the sweetest abyss of pleasure and thus she began to snap her hips as quickly as possible, and she watched as he started to come unraveled. 

“Rosea...Rosea...” her name was escaping him like a litany and she moaned. “Rosea... I’m going to...!” 

“Come undone for me, my lion,” she told him as she rode him as fast and as hard as she could, suddenly he roared out her name as he gave one hell of a thrust and they both came undone as her walls clamped down around his thick cock which spilled his seed into her waiting womb. He thrust a few more times, spilling more into her as she felt more orgasms rip through her in quick succession after the first, yet still she rode him and still he spilled into her. When they finally stilled both her panting and Rosea felt as if she were completely boneless. 

“Rosea? Are you alright?” Cullen asked when he managed to recover from their shared high. 

“I’m fine, most likely going to be sore when I wake up tomorrow, but I’m fine.” She told him as she attempted to pull away, but he stopped her. 

“Are you sure? I didn’t hurt you did I?” 

“Cullen,” She smiled at how he was being. “Im not a delicate wallflower. If I couldn’t have handled what just happened then I would have stopped you when it started. I’ll be fine.” She told him kissing him gently in response to his worry. “The only thing you should be worried about is how you are going to plan on topping that off.” She told him as she finally managed to remove herself from ontop of him and soon lay facing him. 

“I think I would rather be gentler this round,” he told her softly as he moved to kiss her and soon pinned her to the bed as his cock entered her again, once more hard, but instead of what they had just gone through, this was a gentle and sweet lovemaking. Softer almost but still lovemaking.


	12. Elven

Rosea was sore the next morning just like she had said she would be, but being sore was well worth it. Especially since she woke up to possibly the sexiest man alive sharing her bed with her, which brought a smile to her face as he gently ran his hand along her arm, signaling that he had awoken before her. "Good morning," He greeted her softly as she turned to face him.

"I'd say it's better than a good morning," She returned as they kissed softly. 

"Is it?" He inquired as she smiled. 

"It is," She told him as he kissed her again. They spoke for a little bit longer, kissed some more, but soon enough he left her alone so they could both get changed into more appropriate attire for the day. Rosea looked to her armor she had worn on the way into Denerim and frowned before turning to ANOTHER set (a set Cullen had yet to see) and swiftly put it on. Then she reached over and grabbed her daggers, which she had also brought with her, and after placing them at her hips, she walked out of her door and smirked at the fact that Cullen was nowhere to be seen.  _For the better anyways. If he saw me he would be asking where I am heading off to and right now he doesn't need to know._ Sighing as she walked towards the stables, She managed to slip out of the Palace almost undetected, though she was sure Alistair had spotted her. And while she was right on that, she did not know that both Alistair and Cullen watched her head out on Soven and Cullen turned to Alistair then. 

"Where is she going?" Cullen inquired, his curiosity was struck and he would not be satisfied until he had the true answer to what was really going on.

Alistair sighed as he motioned for Cullen to sit, "There is a reason Rosea came to Denerim and it's not because of the Nightguard, though that is a partial reason. She and her twin Are not the only two from their world to have come here."

"What?! There are others?" 

"A group of them came, about seven and if we count Rosea there are now eight, at different intervals of time within the past fifteen years," Alistair sighed, "Tell me," He seemed to grow quieter now. "Do you remember Nymph?" 

"Nymph? You mean that Cousland woman who is still considered the Hero of Ferelden despite having vanished sometime after the Blight in search of a rumored cure to what makes you both Grey Wardens?" Cullen inquired as Alistair nodded. "Barely. Why?"

"You know of the Nightguard right?"

"Maxwell and Rosea are apart of it and they protect the village where They and my siblings live."

"Rosea is apart of that group? I thought she retired?"

"She returned to it at her brother's urging, but why are you asking me all this?"

"Because the Nightguard is much more than just a group of guards who defend Villages, Rutherford, they're job is much more. The Nightguard is really..." 

****

Laughter was heard as Rosea finished riding up to the meeting place that had been set. "...Maybe Aeros is just jealous, I mean who wouldn't be. Rosea gets to fuck one of the sexiest men alive- _OW!_ " Rosea walked up and whapped the speaker on the back of the head. "Ro... That hurt..." The person whined as he rubbed the back of his head while laughter rang throughout the area. 

"You deserved it, jackass," Rosea replied as she went to sit by one of the other two females present. "Besides Maxwell, we both know that compared to your love life, at least I get to HAVE Sex. Kaeso, may he be welcomed at the Maker's side,  told me you two never bothered to do anything of the sort." 

" ** _BURN!_** " one of the other men in the area laughed. 

"Dude, I don't think even holy water could heal that burn," one of the other two women laughed as everyone watched Maxwell sulk. 

"That's bad when your husband tells your _sister_ that you two remained boring, even after marriage," Another man laughed.

"So Rosea," One of the males, this one having been named already as Aeros, started as she looked towards him. "How is the dear ex-Templar of yours in bed?"

"A beast. The way he..." Rosea responded swiftly as Aeros realized his mistake and whined. 

" _ **GAH!**_ _NO DETAILS! I DON'T NEED TO KNOW!_ " Aeros yelped as everyone busted up, even as Rosea smirked. 

"But Aeros.." She managed in the sweetest voice possible, "you _DID_ ask."

"NOT FOR DETAILS!" He responded, "Ugh...Where is the brain bleach when it's needed..." he dropped his head as Maxwell snorted as he laughed. 

"What did I miss out on?" A new voice asked as everyone turned to see a woman wearing what looked to be like the Grey Warden outfit walking into the room.

"Aeros asked Rosea how the ex-Templar Cullen Rutherford was in bed."

The woman turned to Rosea, "And?"

"Best Sex," When ROsea went to say more, she was interrupted by the sudden appearance of none other than the infamous former Spymaster of the Inquisition turned Divine herself, Leliana. 

"Divine Victoria!" All of the people present who had been sitting leaped up at that moment. 

"Just Leliana," She told them all as she waved them off allowing them to all sit down again, but her presence alone meant that it was time to get serious. "Are we all here, Nymph?" 

The Grey Warden, the women named Nymph, looked around and did a roll call with each responding with a "here", "Rosea? Maxwell? Aeros? Caesetia? Raphael? Adeline? Caelus?" Looking around as they all responded, she turned to Leliana and nodded. "We are all here, love." 

"Good," Leliana nodded as the meeting got underway. They discussed a few things, but then Leliana turned towards Rosea and Rosea knew the spotlight was on her. "Rosea, what do you know of Solas's whereabouts?"

"About as much as anyone else here," Rosea sighed, "What I can confirm is only what I do know. That yes, he is in Tevinter, but from the teaser trailer they released shortly before I came to this world I have good reason to believe that Red Lyrium is going to somehow, someway, play a part in what he has planned."

"Do you know what way?"

"Unfortunately no, but I can confirm that in the teaser trailer for the next game, they _DID_ have the Red Lyrium Idol in it."

"Wait!" one of the others stopped her as all their attention turned towards Aeros. "You mean **_THE_** Red Lyrium Idol? The _**SAME**_ Idol that Meredith _used_ to make her big ass Red Lyrium blade?"

"Correct." 

"Shit." 

"Aeros?" Nymph caused him to look at her. "What do you know about Meredith?"

"You mean outside of the fact that she was a complete and utter psycho bitch driven mad by both the Red Lyrium and her unnaturally extreme paranoia? Not much other than, like Cullen, I served under her crazy ass."

"I remember that," One of the other women spoke up as all eyes turned towards her. "I was with Hawke and the others when she revealed that her sword was made with the Red Lyrium from the Idol." 

"Caesetia?" 

"Don't worry about it now, But...why Red Lyrium? Is that stuff like...I don't know... the bane of sanity?" 

"it is. But from what I have been able to gather from playing the games and reading here in real life, it is apparent to me that Red Lyrium gives empty promises of power," Rosea started as everyone looked back towards her. "Like most things that promise such power, Red Lyrium seems to work best on those who have weak willpower or are suffering through withdrawals or who were already given empty promises or even extremely paranoid. the AI version of and I am sure Cullen himself have both stated that Red Lyrium's power comes with a terrible price. As was seen with the Red Templars and those who were the innocent victims of Corypheus's god-like complex AND Samson's idiocy for wanting to harvest the Red Lyrium, Red Lyrium grows and festers within the body like a parasite because in its own way it is. Red Lyrium is actually Blighted hence its red coloration. it **_NEEDS_** a living and breathing host just like the Blight disease does."

"Which is why it could spread so quickly?" Leliana inquired as Rosea nodded. 

"Yes. Those samples you gave to me, Leliana, carried more than enough information as of to why it actually exists."

"Wait you handled Red Lyrium?!" Maxwell looked to his sister in complete shock. 

"Maxwell, **_YOU and I_**  as well as the others present are immune to it. In fact, I took a sample of my blood as well as yours and all of theirs and tested them against tiny samples of the Red Lyrium that Leliana had given me. Red Lyrium **_CANNOT_ **grow within our blood. Our Blood completely annihilates it."

"Then if it's Blighted, Shouldn't we all be immune to the Blight as well?" 

"No," Nymph began as all turned to her, "the Blight itself is, as Rosea stated, a disease. We are not immune to Thedosian diseases or illnesses, hence why I am a Grey Warden."

"But then...why can't Red Lyrium grow within our blood?"

"Because," Rosea started as all turned back to her, "We are all immune to RAW lyrium. Red Lyrium is a RAW version of the regular Lyrium. Aeros, you still take the Lyrium normal templars are required to take, correct?"

"I do," Aeros was confused on where this was going. 

"And who provides it?"

"The Chantry..." Then it hit him. "THAT lyrium isn't raw lyrium?!"

"No, Leliana?"

"Lyrium given by the Chantry is infused with a few other things, as well as touched by magic," Leliana informed them with a nod.

"Hence why you have the ability to be a Thedosian Templar," Rosea spoke up again. " _HOWEVER_ , in my experimentations with it, I discovered that if the Red Lyrium is messed with and has about the same thing done to it like regular Lyrium. **_THEN_** we who are of Earth will be screwed. _BUT_ because I am the only one who has truly figured out how to tamper with it in that way. I also know how to truly cure it as well."

"Wait! What?" Leliana turned to Rosea who nodded. 

"You didn't expect me to experiment on it without first finding a way to be able to cure its effect and purge it from my body if I screwed myself over did you?" Rosea inquired as Leliana frowned. "It was by complete accident, mind you, but yes, Red Lyrium, like any disease ridden thing, can be cured."

"And here I always thought that my twin sister was a writer, not someone who experimented with things..." Maxwell muttered as Rosea turned to him. 

"I was also a cook in a restaurant, dumbass. Chefs are a form of scientist, just with food. Plus, unlike you, my curiosity often leads me into doing some heavy research. If the Dread Wolf has something planned that involves Red Lyrium, I will be able to cure those affected by it within moments or even months of it happening."

"Does Cullen know that you've done all this?" Maxwell asked as Rosea shot him a withering look that should have killed him on the spot. 

"No, and if you tell him, Gods and Maker help me so I don't, I will rip off your balls and rip out your heart and **_forcefully_** feed them to you," Rosea snarled as Maxwell curled up into a ball away from her with eyes wide at her threat. 

"Don't threaten your brother, Ro," Adeline, one of the three other women present spoke up as Rosea turned to her. 

"It wasn't a threat. 'Twas a promise, and I tend to keep ALL of my promises." 

"What about Alistair?"

"He knows, but I'm sure Leliana already beat me to the punch of threating his life."

"I have," Leliana nodded. "The only thing Alistair will tell Cullen while we are in this meeting is what the Nightguard really is." 

'Which worries me," Rosea said looking away from them all. "I don't know how Cullen will react to the knowledge... or how he will react to me once he sees me again after he learns the truth..." Rosea bit her lower lip in fear but then Nymph walked over and lifted her chin up. 

"I'm sure everything will be fine."

Maxwell spoke now, "And if he does anything to hurt you, I will show him how much of a mistake that will be and I doubt Mia would stop me from ripping Cullen a new one." 

"I'm with Max on that one," An auburn-haired man, Raphael, spoke up now. "We **_ALL_** see you as a sister Rosea, we are like a family after all. Even if you and Max are the only two true siblings here, you are still like a sister to all of us here," The others echoed their agreements, "Besides my daughter, Leona, adores you and would never forgive her uncle if he hurt you in any way shape or form."

"Thanks, guys," Rosea smiled softly as they all returned it.

"Speaking of little Leona, and now that business is concluded," Leliana smiled now, "How is she?"

"Still a holy terror..." Raphael sighed as the others laughed, "Which isn't helped by Bear...at all." 

"She is your daughter, Raph, from what I understand you have stated that you were a holy terror when you were a kid as well," Rosea smirked as he glared at her. 

"Please don't remind me..." He grumbled as they spoke some more before all of them parted ways, with Rosea biting her lip as she rode back to the Denerim Palace. 

 _Despite their reassurances... I still feel unsure of how Cullen will react to me now that he knows the truth..._ But as Rosea would come to find out that night, her fear would be unfounded. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did someone order a Leliana cameo? No? Too bad have one.


	13. Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forewarning! 
> 
> I do NOT speak French which is the closest thing we have to Orlesian, but I do have google translate so I apologize if someone who speaks French reads this and notes the errors in the speech. I will put the translation of the spoken words in parenthesizes so you don't have to scroll down to the end to look for the translation of what I was attempting to say.
> 
> Also:
> 
> The song I was listening to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oA-OvP3vME link to The Lion of Ferelden by Suzanne van Pelt.

Cullen walked into Rosea's room to find her deep into reading some papers and smirked before speaking, "And just when did you return?" He asked watching as she yelped and jumped almost out of her skin, sending papers flying everywhere in her startled state.

"Maker's balls! When did you get in here?!" She hissed at him as he struggled not to laugh at the fact that he had just managed to successfully startle her. 

"Just a second ago." He told her as she bent down to pick up the papers while cursing him out in Orlesian, forgetting that he had been a Templar (and forgetting that her friend Aeros had stated that it was required for Templars to know how to speak and write in Orlesian as well as Common) and thus the moment she had finished gathering the papers that had been spilled and set them down, he walked over to her and suddenly smacked her ass causing another yelp to escape her. 

" ** _Cullen Rutherford!_** " She yelped out as she turned to him with cheeks a bright red color as he smirked his infamously _ungodly_ smirk which turned her insides to mush. 

Then he spoke, **_IN_** Orlesian no less, and her cheeks burned even brighter. "Apparemment, vous avez oublié que j'étais un templier, Rosea _(Apparently you have forgotten that I was a Templar, Rosea)_." He smirked as she realized her mistake before she too smirked. 

"Donc, vous parlez Orlesian. Je pensais que tu n'y avais écrit que mon mauvais _(So, you do speak Orlesian. I thought you only wrote in it, my bad)_ ," She replied as he watched her carefully, but now she was going to have fun with it, "Devrais-je tester vos connaissances pour voir si vous parlez une autre langue, mon commandant au coeur de lion? _(Should I test your knowledge to see if you speak another language, my lion-hearted Commander?)"_ She inquired as he groaned. 

"S'il vous plaît ne pas. Orlesian est déjà assez méchant. _(Please don't. Orlesian is bad enough.)_ " He told her as she reached up to rest her hand on his cheek. Then what she had called him struck him and he looked at her with confusion, "Tu viens de m'appeler mon cœur de lion? _(Did you just call me lion-hearted?)_ "

"N'est-ce pas ce que vous êtes? (Is that not what you are?)" Rosea inquired softly as she touched the fur mantle around his shoulders and, returning to the Common tongue, she spoke again, "Are you not the Lion of Ferelden? The legendary and fearless former Commander of the former Inquisition's military might?" He watched her as she moved her hands through the fur around his shoulders. "The man whose battle-cries and fearlessness **_EARNED_** him the reputation of being called 'a lion in a man's body'." She looked up into his amber-gold eyes and saw his shock at her words written clearly in them.

"Rosea..." He spoke softly but she only continued.

"You _are_ a lion, Cullen. Maybe not physically, but with all that you have gone through, how you refused to break through the hell your life has been... ** _THAT,_** to me, shows all the signs of a mighty lion that was once sleeping and awoke within the skin of a man. Within _you_ ," Rosea spoke as she leaned forward and kissed him gently before pulling away to move away from him, or well she was about to walk away from him when he suddenly reached out and pulled her close to him again and just before she could speak he kissed her passionately, igniting an inferno through both of them as he did so. 

"If I am the lion, then what would that make you?" He inquired as he smiled.

"Certainly no lamb."

"But it also appears to me that you are no wolf either," He told her as she turned to fully face him before being backed up against the wall once more. 

"And what makes you believe that?" She inquired as he smirked and claimed her lips with a tenderness. 

"Wolves will avoid a creature as powerful as a lion in the wild."

"Mmn, maybe this wolf, has more...exotic tastes than other wolves... maybe only a lion would be fitting for this wolf to take as her only mate?" She inquired as he smirked then. 

"Then I dare to say, this little wolf has likely gotten herself into more trouble then she realizes," He whispered low as he nipped along her jaw. "For this lion," He started as he began to undo the ties on her pants, "is voracious when it comes to claiming what belongs to him. And does not share well at all." He growled low. 

"Neither do wolves when they take their mates..." She managed to say while he smirked with his amber-gold eyes flashing with amusement. 

"This means that you will never get away from me, no matter how hard you try," He told her as he kissed her deeply, enticing a moan from her. 

"And if I don't want to?" Rosea asked as he smiled.

"Then you are mine forever," He told her as he ignited her passion with a fierceness that drove her wild. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter I know. But a short chapter won't kill anyone.


	14. Thirteen

It was raining the day Cullen and Rosea left Denerim, but it was only halfway through their journey when they were forced to find shelter under some trees a few days later as it really began to pour. After having set up the tent (meaning they had decided to set up the things for the tents to make one large one and of course they had also made sure to set something up for the horses who were nickering softly from where they stood under the protection of their own "tent") Cullen found himself laying on the ground, on his side with a knee in the air with Rosea reclining against him as they watched the rainfall. Cullen was absentmindedly running his fingers through Rosea's hair and Rosea, for her part, was struggling to stay awake as he did so. Neither spoke as it wasn't really needed and thus it made the moment a bit more special for Rosea as she liked these kinds of moments. "What are you thinking of?" Cullen asked quietly as she smiled with her eyes closed.

"Just how I wish we could spend more time together," She told him as he smiled. "Its been a really long time since I last found myself so relaxed and so..."

"Peaceful?"

"Happy," She sat up, forcing him to pull his hand away from her head. 

"What do you mean?" He inquired watching her closely and noted that she was now fiddling around with a string that she had been making into something before she had reclined against him. 

"The last time, I was this calm...this happy...was before my parents died..." 

"You never really spoken about that," Cullen frowned now as she sighed. "I know you've mentioned it on several occasions."

"I've never talked about it because...it still hurts to talk about them...especially how they died..." She told him softly as he sat up and brushed some of her hair out of her face before gently resting his hand on her right cheek and turning her head (still being gentle) to face him, he met her sapphire eyes. 

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he told her softly. "I'm not going to push for you to tell me." He watched as she leaned over to rest her head against his chest despite the fact that he wore a breastplate. 

"I know you won't... and I'm grateful for it," She told him as he held her close with just his left arm (due to the fact he was using his right hand to stabilize himself at that moment), "but...I also know that if I don't talk about it...the pain I feel from it will never go away..."

"Rosea..." Cullen continued to hold her, "The pain you feel from losing someone never really goes away, it only becomes easier to bear," He placed his chin on her head but still continued to hold her. "I'm not going to make you tell me anything, but I will listen whenever you are ready to tell me what happened to them."

"Thank you..." She managed as she struggled to contain her tears, "But I think I am ready to tell you what happened to them..." She sighed softly before beginning with how her father had died. She started off with what she could remember of him, from his average height for a human male, to his dirty-blonde hair, from the laugh lines he had had upon his face from how much he had smiled and laughed, to the rich chocolate brown eyes that were always sparkling with some form of joy. "...It was damn near impossible to piss that man off, but you could always tell when he was upset as he would get this frown that wasn't exactly a frown but nor was it a scowl." 

"Sounds like you've earned that look a few times." 

"I did, but after he was sure I learned my lesson, he would go right back to smiling," Rosea smiled as Cullen shook his head. "My mother was often fond of telling him that if he wasn't careful he would set the bar a little too high when it would come to my expectations of how a man should be," She shook her head at that, "He would only laugh it off and say that if my expectations of a good man were so high, then the man just had to prove himself." 

"Where do I fit in that standard?"

"If my dad was still around, he'd say that you may have just blown that out of the water." She smiled at Cullen who returned it. Rosea spoke more about her father but soon she frowned and looked away from Cullen as she came to how he had died. "I think... I think it was maybe just a week or maybe two after Maxwell and I had turned nine when he died. I had a a really bad feeling, and was begging and begging him not to go to work but he went anyway. Maxwell immediately picked up on my worry but it only was while we were at school when...it happened. Our mom...she came to the school and picked us up immediately and on the way home, she told us what happened,” Rosea brushed some tears that had escaped from her eyes away with the heel of her hand. “The building he had been working in...suddenly collapsed. There had been warning. No signs of anything that could have caused the sudden collapse. No earthquake. No unstable ground. Nothing. It just...collapsed. My father hadn’t been the only caught in the sudden collapse, but he was...the only one who hadn’t made it out alive...” Cullen watched as Rosea fought back more tears but there was no stopping the few that were escaping. “After that day, our mother was forced to raise us and our baby sister, who was only five at the time, on her own. But that was also when our troubles began. Maxwell and I were teased and tormented by the other children because we didn’t have a father anymore and that lead to issues between Max and I as we started fighting with each other. There were days it would get so bad between him and me, that we would start throwing blows at each other. Even once going so far as him throwing me against the cabinet and cracked the back of my skull open.” Cullen looked at her with shock, “He apologized for it sometime later, but we’d still go to blows if things escalated to that point.” 

“Rosea...” Cullen didn’t know what to say so continued listening. 

“Then...a week after our thirteenth birthday... tragedy struck again and this time...our mother died, and that day I remember well because...I saw it happen...” Rosea closed her eyes and now the tears were sliding down unbidden. “She had gone out to get the mail and as she was preparing to come back, I watched as...a drunk driver hit her with his car before taking off again...” Cullen didn’t know what a car was but he could see that right now wasn’t the time to ask and so kept his mouth shut. “Maxwell, our sister and I were taken to the orphanage that very night. All four of our grandparents had passed the year before so there was really no one who could raise us...” 

“And I can guess it wasn’t long after that was when you and your sister were..?” Rosea nodded. “What happened to your sister?” 

“She...she got in with the wrong type of people... after her death, because of a drug overdose, that was when my rebellious phase really kicked in and that’s when I stopped obeying my adopted parents and family completely.” Rosea shook her head, “And then Maxwell and I turned twenty and somehow his ass ended up here while I struggled to barely make ends meet in a world that no longer felt like home. The family that I had been apart of wanted to make me a “porcelain doll” who obeyed everything they told her and I hated them with every fiber of my being and I still do. I blamed and still blame them for seperating Maxwell and I, as well as blame them for what happened to my sister who was only thirteen.” Rosea closed her eyes and dropped her head so her hair hid her face. “I probably shouldn’t but its too late to fix that now. I could never forgive them even if it was to save my life. Just like I can never forgive that drunk driver for causing the events to happen to make me apart of that worthless money hounding family.” The fire that was burning through her veins at the thought of that family had Cullen looking to her in concern as he could _feel_ how the hatred burned under her skin. But just as quickly as it had started it died and she sighed, “Everyone I knew kept telling me to place my faith “in god” but I would only retort with a snarky response that often ruffled their feathers.” 

“What would you tell them?” 

“I would respond with a “why should I place my faith in a god who doesn’t even exist?” Or if I felt really pissed off I would reply with a “fuck your god and your so called messiah” but that only came around if they were insistent on trying to get me to worship a being that I cared little for.” 

“What about the Maker?” 

“I’m still struggling abit with that. But honestly, I’d be more likely to believe in him then that other so called “god”. Besides, the Chantry can _**PROVE**_ Andraste’s existance. I _**KNOW**_ that the Urn of Sacred Ashes exists. I _**KNOW**_ that the ashes can heal people,” Rosea sighed as she flicked her hair out of her face. “I’d rather believe in the Maker and His Bride anyday then that God and his Son. But I do really struggle with believing in the Maker as well. For most of my life, I was called a heathen for my refusal to believe in that world’s god, not that I gave two flying fucks. But being here, ON Thedas itself where I know that Andraste was a real person and the Maker is a real being in someway, I really do want to believe but since I was old enough to refuse any and all religions...its a daily struggle.”

Cullen watched her seemingly deflate as he realized that her struggle was a real thing, but then he reached up and touched her cheek and brought her attention towards him. “If it matters to you, I don’t really care who you believe in. You could believe in the Elven pantheon and I would still care for you,” He leaned forward and kissed her gently before resting his forehead against hers. As they sat like that with their foreheads together and eyes closed, Rosea felt her heart squeeze and knew then what it meant but neither of them would say those three little words. But they wanted to. Oh how badly they wanted to.

**** 

Rosea looked up as she noticed something falling from the sky the next day and sighed. “I’ll have to push Soven if I want to make it back to the Village in time to beat the snow.” 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come to the Sanctuary and wait out the storm coming?” Cullen asked as she smiled. 

“As much as I wish I could, Faylen will likely be throwing a fit and Maxwell will likely be crawling up the walls with all the paperwork that has cossed his desk by now.” Rosea told him as he imagined the amount of papers Maxwell could possibly have. “Maybe next time though I will take up your offer.” She smiled as Cullen returned it. 

“I hope you do,” he whispered as he leaned over in his saddle and kissed her deeply before pulling away and reluctantly started traveling down the path to where he had started his Sanctuary for Templars wishing to be freed of their Lyrium addiction. But he just couldn’t resist looking back to see her watching him before she guided Soven forward to head back to her home. He knew that here in a few weeks he would see her again but he also felt sorry for her not just because he was sure that she would have a buttload of paperwork to catch up on, but because if Cullen knew Leona right from knowing the girl for a short while, Rosea was likely not going to be able to go anywhere anytime soon. And how right Cullen’s guesses would be right as the moment Rosea returned to town she was swarmed by the Rutherford children from all three of Cullen’s siblings and she also had a fuckton of paperwork which would likely not be caught up for weeks. 


	15. Fourteen

Rosea sighed as she leaned back in her chair and rubbed at her temples. She had been working her ass off and had barely made a dent in all the paperwork, letters and other things that Maxwell had decided to drop of the day of her return, and the fact that it had been damn near a full month since her return well, she figured it was safe to say that she likely would never get caught up. “What I wouldn’t give right now for a distraction,” shaking her head, Rosea went right back to work writing responses, approvals for days off and more. She hadn’t been out of her house in about a week or so, which she had already received an earful from Mia about, yet Rosea was unable to bring herself away from her desk for long as she felt she needed to get this paperwork done and thus had lost complete track of time and thus missed the fact that today (just a few days before Satinalia) was the day that Cullen was coming back to the town to spend the holiday with his family and with her. 

The moment Cullen dismounted from his horse, he was assaulted by the pack of children and then by his sisters and brother. “Welcome back.” Branson smiled at his older brother, “You might want to talk to Mia. She’s damn near ready to strangle Rosea.” 

“Why?” Cullen inquired as Rosalie came walking up.

“Rosea hasn’t been out of her home in weeks. Or Maxwell would say: Scratch that! She hasn’t been out in days,” Rosalie told him as she shook her head. “Apparently _SOMEONE_ ,” Rosalie shot a dark look over towards Maxwell who looked confused at her for a moment from where he was talking with Raphael about something. “Decided that she needed to be the one to do all of the paperwork.” Cullen looked towards Maxwell who seemed to shrink down now as if trying to disappear from sight while Raphael looked completely lost as of to why Maxwell was suddenly looking like a scolded puppy. “If Mia should strangle anyone I’d say Maxwell would be the one needing it.” 

“I’ll go see to Rosea first,” Cullen frowned and shook his head. 

“Good. It’s almost the holiday, she shouldn’t be cooped up all day every day.” Mia huffed as she glared darkly at Maxwell who suddenly decided that now was a good time to vanish before he ended up on the wrong end of a pike. 

Cullen mounted up and began to ride towards Rosea’s house only to arrive to see that she hadn’t even bothered to clean the snow off the steps to her porch and shook his head. Tying his horse to the railing, he walked up to the door and knocked but received no answer. Frowning for a moment he tried to door handle and found that the door opened easily and that worried him for a moment. Walking in he saw Faylen laying by the fireplace and watched as Tobias trotted over towards the female Mabari who greeted him with a kiss causing Cullen to shake his head as he headed towards the back only to see Rosea sitting at her desk hard a work. “Maxwell, I swear if that is you and you brought more paperwork I will flay you alive.” That brought a smile to Cullen’s face.  

“I’m pretty sure Maxwell has gone into hiding after the looks Mia and Rosalie gave him while I was in town,” Cullen spoke up causing Rosea to finally look up and see the love of her life standing in the doorway. He watched as she tried to sort out her confusion before realizing that he was _actually_ there and suddenly paperwork was forgotten as she all but leapt out of her chair to rush over to him and threw her arms around his shoulders. 

“Cullen!” She smiled as he hugged her close to him. “When did you arrive?” 

“In the town about an hour ago. Here it was a few moments ago.” He replied as they kissed. 

“You should have had someone come get me,” she told him as he shook his head. 

“Didn’t want to wait to see you, besides watching the reaction you had to seeing me is better than anything I can think of,” Cullen smirked as she rested her head on his shoulders. “Now, I believe I have heard that you haven’t been out of your house in weeks so let's head into town before Mia comes hunting us down.” He watched as she pulled away to look at her desk. “I know that look and you need to get away, it will still be there when you return.” 

“But-!” 

“Please?” He asked as she looked from him to the desk and back to him and sighed as she caved to his plea.

“Alright,” She nodded as she allowed him to lead her out of the room and into the main living area where she spotted Tobias and Faylen snuggling. “Oh, now that’s adorable.”

Cullen smirked as he saw it too but soon gave a sharp whistle as the dogs lifted their heads to look at him. “Come on you two,” He called to them as Faylen whined. 

“We are heading into town, you can snuggle near the fireplace at Mia’s,” Rosea told them as both dogs grumbled but obeyed their owners and waited patiently at the door while Rosea made sure to put out the fire and ensured that nothing else could burn or accidentally set the building on fire. After they exited the cabin, Rosea ensure that the house was locked up and went to go saddle up Soven when Cullen scooped her up, causing her to yelp out in surprise, and had her sitting in front of him and soon was riding towards the town as she laughed at the fact that he had just scooped her up like a barbarian and was now riding off with her as their hounds followed. 

“What?” He asked, then he chuckled as she told him what he had just reminded her of. As they entered the town, he soon dismounted and helped her down as the dogs were greeted by the children and Bear (who was getting bigger which had Rosea guessing that Bear would be about the size of his sire if not a little bigger due to having been the runt of the litter). After the children's attention spans had been dragged to somewhere else, Leona and Bear were immediately at Rosea's hip and that brought a smile to the woman's face as she hugged the girl close before shooing her and her dog off to go play. Shaking her head, Rosea followed Cullen into the house where the hounds were already snuggling in front of the hearth much to everyone's amusement, as the Adults gathered around to talk and share childhood stories of dumb things they had done as children, Rosea rested her head on Cullen's shoulder and he smiled before resting his cheek on her head and once more both missed the look that passed between his siblings. Cullen was normally not an openly affectionate person, but it appeared to his siblings that Rosea was changing that. But not even a week after the holiday and after Cullen had returned to the Sanctuary, Rosea and the Nightguard made a horrific discovery that set the town to fright. 

"Blood of the Maker!" The templar Knight-Commander's eyes widened as he approached Rosea. "What is that?" he inquired of her as she looked towards him with a dark and hooded look that spoke volumes. 

"Red Lyrium," was her only response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter with a cliffhanger.


	16. Fifteen

" _ **WHAT?!**_ " Nine voices echoed in response to what Rosea told the gathered group about the discovery. 

"But..." Aeros could hardly believe what he was hearing. "It...it was raw wasn't it?"

"No," Rosea shook her head. "It had been tampered with."

"In what way?" Leliana spoke up as all eyes turned from her back to Rosea. 

"The same way the Chantry fixes the lyrium for their Templars," Rosea told her as Leliana frowned heavily. Rosea looked around the room and watched as uneasy looks passed between everyone there. The reason nine voices had responded to the news, instead of the usual eight, was because Cullen was there this time as well.

"...How did it get so close to our town?" Maxwell asked as Rosea frowned. 

"How else? Bandits. And from the size of the shipment they had with them, someone has been experimenting with it."

Aeros spoke up then, "Didn't you say one of the Templars got a faceful of Red Lyrium dust?"

"Yes, and he will be fine. I got to him just before it could have any real effect on him, but to be safe the Knight-Commander has ordered that he be watched for the next few months while he recovers." A quiet fell over the area then. 

Then Leliana spoke up, "Rosea."

"Yes?"

"It seems that the plan you came up with the meeting before the last will have to be put into place. Do what you must to track down whoever is experimenting and spreading this Red Lyrium around and stop them." 

"I planned on it." 

 After the meeting was concluded, Leliana called over to Rosea once more as Rosea prepared to leave with Cullen. "Rosea, make sure explain to Cullen how you know so much about the Red Lyrium."

"I will," Rosea nodded as they left. 

"Explain to me about what?" Cullen looked towards her with a look of worry and a hint of confusion. 

"Not here," Rosea told him, "Wait until we get to the Cabin. I will explain it all there." Soon enough they mounted and rode towards Rosea's home but Rosea, for her part, remained deathly quiet the whole ride there and that left Cullen to wonder just what she knew about Red Lyrium that he didn't already know. But what she would tell him just after they arrived in her cabin, would do more than shock him. 

"So you willingly experimented with it?!"

"Yes, in a controlled environment. As I said, I _KNOW_  how to cure Red Lyrium from the body. I knew what the risks of experimenting with it would be and planned accordingly." Rosea refused to look at him as he watched her. 

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"You didn't need to know before because there was no reason for me _TO_ tell you. You keep forgetting Cullen, I know more then I let anyone know. It's why I try to keep to myself, my knowledge can either help or hurt depending on when and to whom I make it known."

He saw her point there. Knowledge was a dangerous power to have but if used in the right way it was helpful, but if abused... He was now rather glad that Rosea was being careful with how she went about using it and being selective in who she gave it away to. "So why did Leliana know before me?"

Rosea shot him a look that just screamed "really?" at him, "If I had come here at the start of the Inquisition, I would have reported any and all my findings to her, because out of you, her **_and_** Josephine, Leliana is the only one that scares the ever living daylights out of me worse then what you or Josephine could have managed, and I'm pretty sure Josephine would have tried." 

"Oh and I don't scare you?" Cullen wasn't sure if he should be offended by that but the smile Rosea had told him that he didn't need to be. 

"No. Because I am more than sure I would have been the _biggest_ pain in your ass you had ever known."

"I doubt that," Cullen shook his head as Rosea laughed. 

"Oh trust me. I would have. I was twenty, just barely into my young adult life, and still quiet rebellious with one hell of an issue with authority and anyone holding such a position. I **_WOULD_** have been a pain in your ass but I would have also been a very loyal pain." Of that Cullen had no doubts as he knew that in just the short amount of time that she had been here on Thedas, Rosea had so much and he could honestly picture what she would have been like as one of his soldiers. Despite her claims of possibly being a pain in his ass (of which he still doubted) he could see and had seen the proof of how she was in the scars on her body. She would have risen through the ranks swiftly, would have become one of his most trusted soldiers. But something also told him that he would have still fallen for her, and would have still worried about her anytime she would be out of his sight for extended periods of time and likely would have gone to great lengths to keep her near him which more than likely would have hurt the Inquisition and he had learned that Rosea wasn't one to sit back and let others do the work for her if there was even a chance she could help or do something, and from the scars that he had seen upon her back, arms and the one on her face, he knew that she would not sit on the sidelines if there was a battle. Cullen turned to speak but that was when he noted that Rosea seemed to be staring out of the window with a look that told him that she was possibly having a bad feeling. 

"Rosea?"

"Something's very wrong," Was all she said before spotting someone upon horseback galloping towards the cabin at full speed, which in turn had Rosea rushing out of the cabin to greet the person. "RAPHAEL?!" She hollered above the sound of the wind that had started howling shortly after Cullen and she had returned to the cabin.

Cullen followed her out to see Raphael trying to control his horse after pulling it to a stop, and before Cullen could say anything Raphael hollered back at Rosea, "IT'S LEONA! SHE'S BEEN TAKEN!" 

"WHAT?!" Rosea's eyes went wide before she raced over to where Soven was and leapt up into the saddle, leaving Cullen to call to the Mabari hounds who rushed out the moment he whistled and making sure the cabin was locked up, Cullen was soon chasing after Raphael and Rosea who were already way ahead of him.

****

Leona was shivering and curled closer to Bear who was growling with hackles raised as he eyed the two people looking into the "room" where He and his mistress were in. "Why couldn't we have gone after one of the others? Why did it have to be this one?"

"Because you moron, this girl is the one who is the most attached to Rosea. The boss said that this girl is the one that would snag that bitch's attention." 

"Why does the boss want Rosea so bad?"

"Why do you think? Rosea knows things about Red Lyrium that no one else does. He even stated that Rosea knows how to purge it from the body and destroy it completely, in other words, "Cure" it, so he wants to kill her personally to ensure the knowledge doesn't spread."

"And this runt is said to be the best way to grab that bitch's attention?"

"Have you not paid attention all those times the Boss sent **_us_**  to watch Rosea? This brat is deeply connected to her and Rosea has been known to kill to protect this brat. By taking her, we have just ensured that Rosea's fury is through the roof and when Rosea's fury is through the roof..."

"...She is likely to make a very fatal mistake involving only herself," The other man smirked now as his gaze turned back towards Leona who curled up into an even tighter ball as Bear moved to block her from sight. The two men walked away and Leona shivered as Bear curled around her in a protective manner while also trying to keep Leona warm. 

" _Rosea..."_ Leona sniffled as she hugged Bear tightly.  _"Hurry... I'm scared..."_


	17. Sixteen

Rosea was **_furious_**. Not with any of the Rutherford siblings, not with Raphael or Branson's wife or Mia's husband or even any of the children. No. She was furious with whoever had taken Leona in broad daylight and with whoever the mastermind behind taking Leona, _an innocent child_ , was. After having listened to the _surviving_ guard who had tried to prevent Leona from being taken, Rosea's fury only grew and could honestly now rival that of a dragon's fury. When it had been described where the people were going with her, Rosea knew the reason behind it. "The Brecilian Forest?" Cullen inquired as everyone but Rosea turned to him. "Why would they take her there?"

"Because," Rosea spoke up as everyone turned to her, "In the Forest lies some ancient ruins. What it used to be I cannot say for sure, but the Forest itself has seen much bloodshed and thus has become the home to demons and spirits alike due to how weak the veil is there. Those same ruins were used to create a strain of the lycanthrope curse by a Dalish Keeper who wanted revenge for what happened to his children. How he created that strain was by using blood magic to bind a spirit and a great white wolf together."

"Didn't the Hero of Ferelden destroy that?"

"She forced the Keeper to break the curse by finishing the spell which killed both the Keeper and freed the Spirit who was bound to the wolf," Rosea informed them never once looking away from the direction she knew the ancient ruins to be in. "And if the person behind Leona's kidnapping is who I think it to be, then I will happily slaughter the bastard myself after Leona is rescued." Cullen was watching Rosea carefully but when he looked towards her eyes, he could swear that (just for the heartbeat of a moment) her sapphire irises had flashed a bright red but he couldn't be too sure as it was gone just as quickly as it had come. Maxwell, as if sensing his twin sister's barely contained rage, quickly turned and began to speak to her in a language that was not known to any of the others, until Raphael explained that it was more then likely a language that only these two (or anyone else who had a twin) knew. 

"Twins seem to just have a language only they know. I don't know if that's actually true or not, but apparently, Rosea and Maxwell have their own language," Cullen and the others present watched as Maxwell tried (and failed) to calm his enraged sister then suddenly Rosea snapped something at Maxwell before turning and leaping up into the saddle on Soven and took off with Maxwell calling after her before giving his version of a growl. 

"I'm going after her!"

"Maxwell?"

"I love my sister, but sometimes I swear she is a stupid bitch!"

"Where is she going?!" Cullen inquired quickly as Maxwell looked towards him.

"To save Leona and likely get herself killed in the process," With that Maxwell raced off after Rosea as Cullen immediately hopped into the saddle of his own horse and followed after Maxwell and Rosea. 

 ****

Rosea snarled as she stood with a foot on the body of a dead bandit, "What in the living hell are you doing, Aeros?!" Her eyes were focused on a man she had once thought to call a friend, but in truth had never really been a friend at all. Aeros. 

"Now, now, Rosea," He smirked towards her earning another wolf-like snarl from her. "That's not a nice way to greet a friend, now is it?"

"Friend my ass," Rosea growled. " ** _Where.Is.She?_** " Rosea felt her anger only rising the longer she looked at Aeros who only continued to smile. 

"Hmn? Oh! Leona? She's fine, for now." Aeros grinned darkly. "Poor thing didn't know what to think upon seeing me on her arrival and thought to draw close to me but if it weren't for that blasted mongrel of hers..." Aeros sneered now but then someone shouted that what looked to be damn near the  _entire_ royal army was bearing down on the ruins and Aeros chuckled.

"Cullen brought Alistair and the army?" Rosea wondered as Aeros sneered.

"Your precious King and your dearly beloved are late to the party." Aeros snickered then, "No matter. My wish to end you and destroy the knowledge you wield on how to stop Red Lyrium from spreading and once you are out of the picture I will be successful where Corypheus and Samson failed and I will be the one to spread the Red Lyrium everywhere and empower all the Templars to be stronger than the worthless Chantry."

"What?" Rosea looked towards him in shock now. "Are you bat shit _insane_?!" Rosea hollered at him. "You _**WANT**_ to spread that shit?! What happened to being against it and wanting to destroy any and all traces of it?!"

"I never wanted to destroy it!" Aeros snarled towards her now, "I wanted to use it! Red Lyrium doesn't offer empty promises of power! It keeps its promise! It is the future of Thedas."

Rosea watched him with wide eyes before narrowing them in anger, " _I won't let you!_ " She snarled at him as he smirked at her. 

"Oh but my dear Rosea," He laughed, "You have already enabled me. When you told us how Red Lyrium _CAN_ be treated just like the Lyrium the Chantry gives all Templars, I knew then that you had opened the door for not just me but many others. But when said that you also had a cure for it, a cure that you "accidently" made, something told me that if my plan to spread the Red Lyrium was to be successful I had to kill you and thus I waited and watched until it became clear to me that the only way to drag you away from that fool Rutherford and the others was by taking the one person in all the world who I knew you would kill for: _Leona_." 

"You bastard!" Rosea snarled as the grip she had upon the handle of her sword tightened. 

"I knew that once I had that brat it would only be a matter of time before you would arrive to kill those who had taken her."

"Why bring her here? To the Brecilian Forest?"

"I knew you knew about this place, anyone who played Origins or listened to Nymph knows this place exists, and I knew that you _KNEW_ a way to get to these ruins that would lead you right into my grasp." Aeros opened his eyes to look into Rosea's sapphire ones. "And now, once I have killed you and burned down your cabin where all your research is stored, I will vanish back into the shadows to work my "magic" and spread the Red Lyrium to all." Rosea laughed then causing him to look at her with angered confusion. "Why in the hell are you laughing, Bitch?!" He demanded of her as she looked up into his eyes.

"Tell me something," Rosea grinned now, "Did you ever hear of an Anime called "Wolf's Rain"?"

"I never watched cartoons."

"Oh, it was no cartoon. In Wolf's Rain, both the Anime and Manga, there is a pack of wolves who seek a place called Paradise. This Paradise they search for though, can only truly be opened by a young woman who they call "The Flower Maiden", a woman born of flowers that are called moonflowers, and a wolf who was protected by the flowers as a pup," Rosea began walking towards Aeros who scowled at her. "They run all over, find the Maiden, lose her and find her again until at last, the wolf who was protected by the flowers goes up against a mad man who managed to use a stone to "revive the hidden wolf" and believed that, he too, could open Paradise. That mad man's name was Darcia. The wolf's name? Kiba." Rosea stopped just several feet away from Aeros. Suddenly, a breeze picked up and blew snow around and moved Rosea's hair. "In their second to last battle, Darcia and Kiba had a nice little chat. 'I will be the one who opens Paradise,' Darcia told Kiba. 'I'm not going to let you do it,' Kiba responded. 'But why?' Darica asked, 'though opposite in nature are we not both wolves? It makes no difference which one of us opens it. Paradise will be the same,' Darica informed him but Kiba stood firm. 'That's a lie! The only thing you'll open is a world of darkness!' no more words passed between them as they began to fight." 

"And that matters why?"

"You sound just like Darcia, that's why." 

"And what? You think you sound like Kiba? How cute," Aeros laughed. "But I'm sure that unlike Darcia, I _WILL_ succeed and you, will fail!" Aeros snarled as he finally lunged towards Rosea who had been waiting for that moment. 

****

"THERE!" Maxwell called causing three pairs of eyes to look in the direction he was pointing for all three to see Rosea and Aeros already locked into combat.

" _ **Rosea!**_ " Cullen called out as they watched her be thrown to the side like a rag doll, but she was swiftly back up and lunging for Aeros who returned to clashing blades with her. "Damnit!" Cullen looked for some way to get over to them, "There has to be a way to get over to them!" he snarled before hearing Alistair's voice. 

"There's a path!" he pointed as Cullen looked towards where the King was pointing. "Go after them and save her!" 

"Alistair..."

Alistair smiled then, "I'm not stupid Rutherford, I know she loves you. Some little part of me always has known that she loved you, even before you two knew each other. Now go save her before she does something stupid!" With that Cullen nodded, threw on his helm, and raced off to get to Rosea before she could be killed. Looking at Maxwell, Alistair smiled. "If those two get married let me know."

Maxwell laughed then, "That'll likely be the day hell freezes over, Your Majesty. The day my sister gets married to Rutherford and settles down. Not something I see happening anytime soon."

"Be careful what you wish for," Alistair told him as Maxwell laughed before they both returned to the already ensuing battle. 


	18. Seventeen

Rosea and Aeros were starting to tire and quickly. They were evenly matched and both knew it, and both were growing desperate to kill the other to end this stalemate.

Rosea yelped as she felt Aeros kick her in the stomach and hit the ground. _**"** **I WILL SUCCEED!"**_

 ** _"YOU WILL FALL!"_** Someone _ROARED_ in response as Rosea looked up in time to see a familiar crimson color appear in her vision though it was hard to tell who it was at that moment until she heard the voice again as the sound of someone being impaled caused Rosea to force herself to wipe the blood away. "You will never harm my family or my loved again and _ANYONE_ who _dares_  to follow in your footsteps shall meet the same fate as you." Looking up Rosea wanted to cry as she saw none other than Cullen, the _Lion of Ferelden_   _himself,_  in full battle armor as he stood between Aeros, who was now impaled upon his blade, and Rosea who watched as Cullen kicked the now dead man off of his blade before turning towards her. 

 _Holy shit does he look like a lion._ Rosea thought as she managed to weakly stand up. "Cullen...How did you?"

"I have my ways," he told her as she met his amber-gold eyes through the jaws of the lion's face on his helm. "When we get home, we are going to have a long talk about your impulsive need to rush off."

"Sounds like a plan," She told him as he walked over to allow her to lean against him but at that same moment, she spotted someone coming from behind him and called out. "BEHIND YOU!" She hollered just as he raised his shield in time to block the incoming blow, but before he could pull away to do anything an arrow suddenly appeared from out of nowhere and both turned to see Nymph walking up with a grin on her face. 

"You two are so sweet it almost makes me sick." She smirked as Alistair and the others finally came up. "So," Nymph's eyes flashed with amusement. "When's the wedding?" That brought a sudden blush to Cullen's face as Rosea looked towards the ground, equally as red-faced as Cullen who was now rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Come on everyone, let's get the hell out of dodge."

Cullen looked towards Rosea who shook her head and muttered something about it meaning "get the fuck out of a place" but before Rosea could take a step, Cullen scooped her up and she yelped in surprise. "Not with your injuries," he told her knowing that she was about to protest to being carried bridal style. 

"Asshole of a lion," She called him as he looked towards her with a smile. 

"My stubborn lioness," he called her as she smiled, but then they kissed, despite the fact that he still wore his lion's head helm, and that earned them a couple of wolf whistles and Maxwell hollering out the words "get a room!" which in turn had Cullen and Rosea smiling as she settled into Cullen's arms and allowed him to carry her out of the ruins.

****

Two years would pass without too much of an incident outside of the occasional bandit raid here or there and in the spring of the third year, Rosea found herself with Cullen laughing and smiling as they relaxed in the yard of her, or rather _their_ (as he had finally decided to move in with her), cabin with him laying on his side, one knee up in the air, hands folded with fingers entwined together laughing as she and he talked about really nothing in particular but then a thought struck him and he smirked. "Rosea?"

"Hmn?" her blue eyes focused on his amber-gold ones and saw him smiling. 

"I've been thinking..."

"Don't hurt yourself," She smirked as he poked her earning a squirm and a raised brow from him. 

"Anyway, I've been meaning you ask you something for a while now and I feel that now would be as good a time as any to ask," She watched as he sat up and pulled something he had been hiding away in his pocket all day. But her curiosity was driven away when he presented a beautiful sapphire ring encircled by silverite and suddenly it hit her what he was about to ask, "Will you marry me?" 

It took her mind a moment to recover but then she looked at him and with tears in her eyes, she answered, "Of course! Cullen, I will!" She told him as allowed him to place the ring on her finger before they kissed. Resting their foreheads together, Rosea wondered if this day could get any better as he held the hand he had just put the ring on and remembered that this day could get better and did. But their wedding day was one of the happiest for both the village and them.

Everyone had decided to make an appearance, even Alistair set aside some time to come see them on this day and standing near Maxwell (who he had been spending more and more time with), who looked damn near ready to cry, Alistair smiled, "You were saying?" Alistair inquired as Maxwell groaned as the man reminded him of that one day three years ago. 

"I guess hell really did freeze over..." Maxwell muttered low but he was in a really good mood, which had spread throughout the town, and then smiled again. "Oh well, guess I just need to find a way to one-up her and make sure it's permanent."

"Easier done than said," Alistair smirked as Maxwell wondered what he meant. 

"What?"

"You'll see," Alistair watched as Rosea rested her head against Cullen's shoulder with a smile and the man rested his chin on her head with his own smile. "I bet you a sovereign they have at least two children."

"I say six sovereigns for three kids," Maxwell laughed as Alistair took that bet. "I say the first one is a girl."

"Boy and I'll throw in another sovereign for it."

"Done." 

As those two made their bets, Rosea noted how close the two men were standing and smiled as she spoke to Cullen. "Is Alistair bisexual?" She inquires as Cullen chanced a glance towards Maxwell and the King. 

"Wouldn't surprise me," Cullen replied as he smirked. 

"Wonder how long it will take him to "come out of the closet"..." Rosea smiled as Cullen managed to not laugh too loudly at that. 

"Even if he did, Alistair needs to sire an heir."

"He wouldn't need to worry about anything, Maxwell may swing both ways but he is sterile. He can't have children." 

"Really?" Cullen asked as Rosea nodded. "Huh... That just leaves you to have children." Cullen seemed almost worried about that but Rosea smiled. 

"You needn't worry about that part either, The first of your cubs will be here soon enough, my mighty lion."

"What?" Cullen looked at her in startled confusion before it turned to a form of pure joy as she nodded. "When? How did you find out?"

"Your eldest sister has a very keen eye, having had several of her own you know," Cullen had no words to express his joy so he kissed her tenderly with a hand on her stomach. "And you know, from where I am standing, I am sure our little cub will have the best father around what with being called "The Lion of Ferelden" and all."

"And he or she will have the most fearsome lioness for a mother." 

"I'm sure they will be bothering you most often."

"Maker save me if they do." Cullen laughed as Rosea rested her head on his shoulder.


	19. Epilogue

Rosea stood watching as Cullen walked around the farm with their only daughter while their sons were busy trying to see who was the stronger of the two behind her at the table on the porch, granted both were near the same strength neither compared to the strength of their father who could still beat them with a hand tied behind his back. “YIELD!” One of them snarled at the other as Rosea turned to see the blonde curly haired head of her eldest son, rightfully name Cullen Stanton Rutherford Jr as he was the spitting image of his father (to include having his father’s amber-gold eyes), arm wrestling with his younger brother, Varian who was a true Stormfury lad with his mother’s blue-black head of curls and sharp blue eyes that rarely missed details (and his sharp foul mouth which their father swore up and down came from Rosea). 

“Fuck you! I will win this round!” Varian snarled back as they continued to flex their arms to try and force the other into submission and continuously were failing. Watching her boys, Rosea smiled as she noted the differences between them was like seeing Night and Day and also knew that if someone didn’t know they were blood-related to each other they would likely think them close friends,but Rosea was their mother. She had given birth to these two (and had threatened Cullen through the birth of Varian, who was the youngest, with no more sex for the rest of his natural life) and their sister who was like the twilight between them with her dark dirty-blonde hair that looked black when wet and her amber-gold flecked sapphire eyes. 

“Boys!” She snapped causing them to quickly pull away from each other. 

“Yes mother?!” Both looked towards their mother who nodded towards the road. 

“Go check to see if your Aunt Mia and the others need help.” 

“Yes mother!” They rushed off to do as told and Rosea laughed watching the two vanish as her husband and daughter came back over to the porch. 

“What did you say?” Cullen inquired as he walked up to stand at her side. “I don’t think I have ever seen Jr and Varian move so fast in all their lives.” 

“The young lions know to fear the elder lioness, my lion.” Rosea smiled as Cullen laughed. “Kiara?” 

“Yes, Mother?” 

“Why don’t you get the chessboard set up for your Father and Uncle Maxwell. I hear your father needs to attempt to win back some of his hurt dignity.” Cullen shot Rosea a look which she only smiled back at him while their daughter snickered as she went to go do as told. While Cullen grumbled under his breath about Rosea poking at the lion. “What was that?” She asked him as he shook his head. 

“Nothing, love.” 

“That’s what I thought,” she laughed before he smirked and lunged for her sides causing her to laugh uncontrollably as he tickled her. “Cullen Rutherford!” 

“You deserved it!” 

“You ass!” 

“You still love me,” He told her as she smiled at him. 

“I do and I always will.” With that she leaned forward and they kissed while their daughter watched from inside the house with a smile on her face. 

Jr., Kiara, and Varian were the children of the Lion and Lioness of Ferelden. And Kiara knew that both her brothers and her were proud to be of that Pride. To be of the Rutherford lineage that had led up to their father and now to them. Though her brothers would be the ones to continue their father’s name, in her heart Kiara would always be proud to be a Rutherford. And as she watched her parents, Kiara hoped that she would one day find the same kind of love that she saw burning so brightly with her parents. Looking towards their family crest which was that of a roaring lion, Kiara was also glad to be the daughter of the woman who had stopped the former Dread Wolf and whatever plans he had had. _Hear our Roar and Know that we will Stand._ Kiara thought those words and smiled once more as she finished setting up the chessboard for her father and Uncle and fought back a laugh. She was not going to miss this round of chess for anything. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! I wanted it to be a bit longer but apparently Rosea and Cullen have other plans. Thanks for sticking through it and putting up with my word vomit all! I honestly wasn’t expecting it to get this far. I thought it would be a few chapters and then done but hey, 19 chapters isn’t so bad.
> 
> I may or may not make another version of this were Rosea arrives in Thedas at the start of Inquisition and becomes a pain in Cullen’s ass. I don’t know yet. I also have another story in mind (i know i have like...two billion stories that I need to work on but muses dont like to obey orders... *glares at her muses*) but we shall see what happens next.


End file.
